Published: June 03, 2009 11:56 am      

City halting bulk water sales

By PAUL LORENZ

paul.lorenz@mcleansborotimesleader.com

McLEANSBORO — The days of riding into town to fill up your water tank are coming to an end.

Effective July 1, the city of McLeansboro will discontinue the sale of bulk water at the city’s power plant, Mayor Dick Deitz said. The City Council finalized that decision during a special council meeting May 27.

City officials were going to have to make some decisions regarding the water operation if it were to continue, and the council decided now was the time to simply discontinue it, the mayor said.

While city officials considered the sale of bulk water a public service, not a money-making operation, the city “was losing a lot of money on water sales — and losing water not accounted for,” Deitz said.

“Police have driven by there and found water running on the ground,” he said.

The council basically decided there were not enough people using the service to continue its operation.

“We would have to spend major dollars if we were to continue it,” Deitz said.