The drought is again threatening the water supply in North Central South Dakota–but officials say there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
Around 14-thousand people rely on the Tri-County Water System, including dozens of towns on the Cheyenne River Reservation. In past years both blizzards and droughts have cut off the water supply.
But SDPB’s Charles Michael Ray reports construction on critical infrastructure is slated to begin later this year.
Leo Fisher with Tri-County Water says peak demand in the winter time is running at 1.3-million gallons per day. He says that’s almost maximum capacity for the old system. He’s worried about the coming summer when demands increase.
“Our water is used for everything here--from watering cattle to fighting fires,” says Fisher.
Fisher says major economic development plans are on hold until more water is made available.
“Infrastructure is all done on a project that we call Badger Park north of town. That is 180 some homes waiting for us, says Fisher.
Fisher says the first phase of a 30 year improvement plan should begin construction later this year. It will install a permanent pipe from the intake in the Missouri River up to a planned water treatment plant. During a 2007 blizzard the old water treatment plant flooded and froze–leaving some residents without water for over a week.