Request to advance money to NAWS raises questions

Before we say anything else, make no doubt that we believe the Northwest Area Water Supply project is vital to this region of North?Dakota. The project will supply water to a host of communities in this region and nothing should keep this project from being completed.


Having said that, we feel this question has to be asked: Is the system of pipelines being built from Minot to other communities happening too quickly?


The City of Minot will be asked to advance $6 million to the project to keep construction moving ahead in building pipelines to Kenmare and Mohall and to lay a new pipeline in the Bottineau area. The city’s NAWS fund has a balance of roughly $25 million. The fund has advanced money to the project before and been reimbursed, but what kind of guarantees does the city have that the loaned money will be reimbursed again this time?


The concern is this: What happens until water from the Missouri River actually begins flowing through the system? Let’s remember, the NAWS project is being fought in court by the Manitoba government, which has environmental concerns. Until the issue of how to treat the water that will flow from?Lake Sakakawea to Minot is solved, no water will flow. In other words, Minot could advance money to build the pipelines to Kenmare and Mohall, but they might sit empty for years. If the pipelines are built and there is no Missouri River water flowing, will those communities expect the city of Minot to provide water to them? Probably. But does Minot have enough water to cover its own needs, plus the needs of other communities, plus the needs of the growing oil industry? This is a serious issue that needs to be addressed by the Minot City Council.


Clearly, advancing money to the project from Minot’s NAWS?fund raises all sorts of questions.