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Lexington council approves Joint Powers Agreement to buy filtered water from Blaine after rate study
Summary
The council approved a Joint Powers Agreement with the City of Blaine to purchase filtered water after a seven-year utility rate study presented by Ehler’s and Associates; the motion passed 5-0 and the study said Lexington’s current usage, including new apartments, was included in the rates.
The Lexington City Council voted unanimously on May 21, 2026 to approve a Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) with the City of Blaine to connect and purchase filtered water.
Keith Dahl of Ehler’s and Associates presented the final utility rate study that, according to the minutes, outlines rates to be charged over the next seven years. Dahl told the council the study incorporated Lexington’s current water usage, including demand from new apartment developments, and that the proposed rate schedule would generate sufficient revenue to buy filtered water from Blaine while maintaining a healthy fund balance in the local water utility.
Councilmember Mahr moved to approve the JPA and Councilmember Devries seconded; the motion carried 5-0. The minutes record discussion of the study’s assumptions, including the inclusion of new-building consumption, but do not include the full rate tables or projected price per unit in the council minutes.
Why this matters: the JPA will change where Lexington sources treated water and will affect utility rates and system planning for at least the seven-year window described in the study. The minutes do not include implementation dates, specific per-unit rate changes, or required approvals from external agencies, if any.
Next steps: the minutes show formal approval of the agreement; staff implementation steps, effective dates and any required outside approvals were not specified in the recorded minutes and would need to be confirmed in the signed agreement or subsequently published staff reports.
