WAWS at Legislature - KXNet - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson

WAWS at Legislature

Legislators are considering a bill to put the state water commission in charge of the Western Area Water Supply project.

Minot Senator David Hogue wants the independent WAWS board dissolved.

He says there is constant conflict with WAWS, landowners and independent water users.

Hogue told the Senate Industry, Business and Labor committee about many allegations of how the project is pitting the state against private residents.

But an official with WAWS does not support the change.

(Sen. David Hogue / (R) Minot) "Feel the situation is overheated, I think we ought to take a step back and put this WAWS authority under the control of the state water commission. I have confidence that they have the ability to regulate the natural tension that is going to be with this project for a long time between the independent water users and the need to cash flow this enterprise on the other hand."

(Jaret Wirtz / Exec. Dir. WAWS) "We don't want it to impeed this project, we have a lot of things to do we want to get water to more rural communities and rural residents and serve the industry. This transition may slow down this process and slow us down delivering that water to people who really want it."

WAWS was developed to deliver quality water to rural areas and towns of western North Dakota, paid for by selling water to the oil industry.

Legislators approved $110 million in loans for the project last session and are being asked for another 40 million in loans and 80 million in grants for WAWS this session.