News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Efforts to expand access to public water in Putnam County could continue in Monterey.
Engineer Nathaniel Green presented two potential scenarios about expanding water along the Calfkiller Highway to the aldermen Monday night. One option would go from Mill Creek Road to split off going north and south on Highway 84.
“The other option that we have, and this one really is quite a bit more difficult, if you drive it and see 84 from that side of things I have a feeling a lot of time would be in the road,” Green said. “And so you’ll see that my cost estimate, while it’s a shorter distance overall, the cost that I have is higher because I imagine that you’ll be repaving.”
Green said that the option to go from Mill Creek Road has a cost estimate of about $3.85 million. He said that the other scenario would cost some $4.05 million due to paving costs.
Mayor Nathan Walker said that the projects would come at no cost to Monterey and would be covered by the county. However, the city would have to explore its rate structures to cover the cost of future depreciation of the lines. The town is using consulting firm Jackson Thornton to help explore its rate structures.
“Those numbers are going to move as time goes on,” Walker said. “We have a current project to where they’re analyzing that for us and doing a water rate structure for us. So once we get that back we’ll have a better idea. But I believe that over time, (the city) would be alright (…) So we would have the numbers to see where we’re at on five, 10, 20-year projections.”
Walker said that he appreciates how the county has tried to make this happen and take this project on.
“Putnam County Mayor Randy Porter has a great vision for getting water to all the county residents and Monterey is looking forward to helping him with that vision in any way we can,” “We understand that it’s a huge project, especially on our end here in Monterey. The Calfkiller Highway project, as everybody knows that is some really rugged terrain. SO I think that best option is just to get with (the county) and figure out which option presented would be the best option for them since they’re the ones footing the bill for this part.”
