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Shady Cove voters will decide on water system in November By MELISSA MARTIN SHADY COVE -- The City Council will ask voters in November to approve a $7.1 million general obligation bond to build the first municipal water system in this town's 27-year history. The total cost of the water project is estimated at $11.1 million, with $3.6 million provided by grants and $7.1 million from property taxes. The bond would cost property owners an estimated $1.68 per $1,000 assessed value of their home or lot, adding about $250 in taxes annually for the owner of a $150,000 home. The water system will include a filtration plant to draw and treat water from the Rogue River, distribution pipes to carry water to Shady Cove's homes and businesses, water meters at each home, fire hydrants, a 1- to 2-million-gallon storage tank and water storage in Lost Creek Lake. City Council members say a water system would provide dependable drinking water, especially for residents whose wells have run dry or become contaminated; provide better fire protection; and possibly lower fire insurance rates for businesses and homeowners. "It's important to the city's future that we have a safe, reliable source of drinking water that's accessible to everyone," said Jerry L'Estrange, city administrator. Some 266 residents who responded to a survey last week said they would connect to a city water system, while 158 said they would not and 139 were uncertain. Shady Cove may be the only incorporated city in Oregon without a municipal water system. Residents depend on 925 wells, most pumping 5 gallons per minute or less but eight yielding 100 gallons per minute or greater, according to a report by HGE Engineers of Coos Bay hired by the city of Shady Cove. The City Council Thursday voted for mandatory hookup to the new system. All residents would pay a monthly base rate -- estimated at $20 or less -- but could continue to use their own well water. The city would install backflow devices to prevent well water and city water from mixing, L'Estrange said. The base rate would include 3,000 gallons of water, making it possible for Shady Cove residents living on a fixed income to conserve water and control their monthly bills, City Council members said. "For someone on a fixed income, they could anticipate their water bill by saying, `I'm not going to use more than 3,000 gallons a month so therefore, I can budget for my water bill,"' L'Estrange said. Whether a municipal water system would lower residential fire insurance premiums depends on many factors, including the ISO rating that the insurance carrier has given the homeowner,said Fire District 4 Fire Chief Bob Miller. Shady Cove's population represents 45 percent of the total population protected by Fire District 4. Miller invited residents to bring their insurance statements to the fire station to calculate the difference that a water system might make in annual insurance costs. "The basic way we fight fire is by using water, so if water is available on every other street corner, it would benefit our efforts in fighting fire," he said. This is the second time Shady Cove has asked its residents for money to build a municipal water system. Voters rejected a March 1992 request for a $2.2 million obligation bond. At the time, almost half of the project would have been paid for by grants. The bond would have cost property owners an estimated $2.43 per $1,000 of assessed value. In 1992, Shady Cove's population was 1,482 and its assessed value was $59,781,200. Last year, 2,315 people lived in Shady Cove and the assessed value was $120,568,810, according to the Jackson County assessor's office. The City Council will hold a public hearing to talk about the municipal water system and the November ballot measure at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 31, at City Hall. Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA