Back to Main Menu


Chairman Lewis Robbennolt, Rural Director District 1
Agar, SD

The year 2007 marked the end of the construction phase of our project, and on to the operational phase.  We ran into an obstacle to smooth sailing the summer before in the form of a major drought and 117 degree days.  Our water usage was unprecedented as was our water production.  We can all be thankful to and proud of our Staff as they kept us all well watered during that crisis situation.  But what a wake-up call for the Mid-Dakota Board and Administration!  We were faced with the dilemma of continuing to expand our membership with new hookups or protect our members, their homes, businesses and livestock and consider a moratorium of new hookups in the face of this disaster.  After much thought and somewhat "heated" deliberation, we voted to declare a Moratorium until such time we could procure an avenue of funding to expand our water treatment plant.

When asked why we took this step by a neighbor, I likened it to a rancher who decided to go into the cattle hauling business during the hot, dry summer.  All he had for equipment was a ten year old pickup and a livestock trailer.  He would never drive that pickup 24 hours a day with his foot to the floor in the heat for 24 straight days.  That is what we were asking our water treatment plant and Staff to do during the hot days that summer.  Too much was at stake and the consequences too dire.

We are still working on finding funding sources for our expansion, as we have been for the last two years.  We are confident that we will ultimately be successful.  In the mean time, diligence in conservation will go a long way to protecting our system and service to our customers.