Letter to the Editor: Webster County water crisis is upon us

Dear Editor,

I have watched the developing concern about our region's groundwater resource by various individuals and groups.

I agree with those concerns, but I must ask, "Where were you in 2006?" That's when six real "Concerned Citizens for Groundwater Protection" families, and residents of Webster County were dumping their life savings into a battle to stop a proposed ethanol plant. The plant east of Rogersville would have mined 1.26 million gallons of groundwater per day, equal to the combined daily use of five cities in Webster County. None of the current "flag wavers" offered support of any kind.

In the absence of a planning and zoning commission, the Webster County Commission did all it could by appointing a group to study the potential impact of the plant. The conclusion was a base for the lawsuit, but only a sharp downturn in the economy stopped the project. The city of Springfield should be embarrassed to report that 60 percent of its good drinking water is used to cool the Southwest and James River power plants fueled by coal. Again, I ask where your support was just three years ago when we needed you.

The criticism that the Missouri Department of Natural Resources has incomplete water level records should not be directed solely at the field staff, since they follow priorities set at the director's level. It is in the politically sensitive director's office where things become slippery and politically motivated.

We do not need new federal or state laws governing our water use. However, monitoring aquifer levels is a good thing. MDNR has more than 100 monitoring wells, and a well monitor can be installed for a couple hundred dollars. This information would be valuable when potential problems arise such as an ethanol plant that goes beyond the "reasonable use" law of Missouri. I do believe that we need county-level planning and zoning with local people able to interpret the data and who have the guts to do the right thing. Local boards should develop county laws to govern what would be "reasonable water use." Without a legal planning board, the county commission is left with no control over water use.

It appears to me that cities in this four-state region should combine efforts and build pipelines to area U.S. Army Corps lakes. These cities should not waste tax money on studies that will only result in the recommendation that another water source is needed. Cities might seek new impoundments as a water source, but personally, I will devote my energies to oppose any new impoundment that will ruin another of our precious free-flowing streams.

This concern about drinking water is not new. A 1938 Works Progress Administration project warned of a future water crisis. That "future crisis" is here. It is time to stop studying and do something about it, but please don't involve the feds or the state any more than necessary. To change the state Constitution would most certainly result in our losing what few rights we have left.[[In-content Ad]]