Engineers urge Coffey County to fund design work for wholesale water plant upgrade; board votes to explore up to $3.5M

Midwest Engineering presented a staged plan to expand capacity for Wholesale Water Supply District No. 12 and asked the Coffey County Board of Commissioners to identify initial funding so the design phase can proceed.

The consultant described a multi‑phase approach. For Phase 1 — focused on drought and emergency capacity using existing clarifiers and pumps — the presenter estimated roughly $15.2 million and said a design and permitting window of about six months and 18 months for construction are typical. "If we take 6 months to permit that, 18 months to construct, we anticipate we could do that work for about $15,200,000 Phase 1," the presenter said. For a later stage that allows about 30% regional growth the plan would add a 1,000,000‑gallon clearwell and additional pumps; the highest‑capacity option discussed would reach roughly 6 MGD and include transmission and elevated storage, with figures discussed in the meeting that rose into the tens of millions.

Board members pressed on who would pay and how costs would be shared among the wholesale participants. The presenter said Coffee County accounts for the largest single share of purchases (~44% of current wholesale purchases across the four‑county district) and noted grants and state programs (CDBG, SRF, USDA, Kansas Water Office, EPA) could be stacked to cover a portion of construction. The consultant said wholesale 12 will not proceed with a full design until committed funds are identified and that county commitment increases the likelihood of securing matching grants.

After discussion about funding sources and legal/contractual steps, the board voted 5–0 on a non‑binding motion to "commit exploring moving forward with an initial financial commitment of up to $3,500,000 for the preparation of engineering design for the development of a 3 MGD plant" — language that the consultant and staff said would be used to create a written placeholder and to begin negotiations and grant pursuit. Commissioners emphasized this vote does not yet obligate county dollars for construction; it authorizes exploring funding and drafting agreements and legal terms with consultants and wholesale 12.

Next steps recorded in the meeting included staff and the consultant working to identify specific funding sources for the design phase, drafting agreements that the county attorney would review, and returning to the board with a written proposal and timelines.