North Howard County Rural Water Association asked Quorum Court to help cover repair cost

During Monday’s Howard County Quorum Court meeting, members of the North Howard County Rural Water Association spoke to the Justices of the Peace about helping them cover the cost of a recent water leak repair.

Tina Chism and Jerry Mounts reported the North Howard Rural Water Association services 300 residential customers, 30 chicken farms and two hog farms in the northern part of Howard County.

Mounts reported the water association has had 20 leaks thus far in 2024 with 15 additional leaks in 2023. He said one of the latest leaks, which was on Highway 246 at the Saline River stream crossing took several weeks to find and they had to replace 190 feet of 6-inch line. Chism said it cost $22,536 to replace the line and repair the leak.

Mounts asked the JPs of the Quorum Court to help the association cover a portion or all of the cost of that repair.

Mounts explained the association has conducted a rate study and will be increasing their water rate by 12 percent in 2025. He said that will provide the association with about $3,000 in additional revenue. He said he also felt that the repairs will help decrease the association water loss rate, which would results in additional savings in the future.

County Judge Brent Pinkerton told the JPs that he would speak with the county’s lawyer to determine if a service agreement would need to be approved before the court could vote on a motion and the discussion was tabled until the November Quorum Court meeting.

Justices approved an ordinance to increase the budget of the Howard County Circuit Court Judge, Training and Education fund by $5,000. The funds will be used for court technology in the juvenile court and for court staff training, meetings, or conferences that will develop staff who handle dependency-neglect court and/or dual-status youth matters.