Clancy School, water district don’t (yet) connect the dots

At its monthly meeting Feb. 14, the Clancy Elementary School board received a presentation from the Clancy Water and Sewer District regarding a potential water sharing agreement. The school board expressed grave concerns about the proposal and the public water district more broadly, but was ultimately open to continuing talks.

In order for Clancy Water and Sewer to establish a community water system, it must first identify a suitable water supply. The Clancy School District sources its water from its own private well, which would adequately supply the proposed system while diluting contaminant levels to an acceptable level. The Clancy School Board indicated it is hesitant to enter a water sharing agreement, as the provisional permit it possesses on the well is bureaucratically difficult to acquire. Rewriting the existing water rights to accommodate public access, it believes, may jeopardize the existing permit.  

“This certification is extremely difficult to get, and I’m unsure we want to give it up so easily,” said Clancy School Board Chair Sarah Brown. She said she also was hesitant for the district to needlessly take on a monthly water expense, and for the fees associated with engaging an attorney to navigate an agreement with Clancy Water and Sewer.