Wichita to consider water supply options

The Wichita City Council is expected to consider several options for the city’s long-term water supply.

The Wichita Eagle reports the council on Tuesday will hear from public works officials who’ll present several options for a new long-term water source. The options were still being fine-tuned late last week.

Before the public works study, council members were considering various options, including completing the city’s Equus Beds recharge project northwest of Wichita. The Equus Beds groundwater aquifer is being drained by the city of Wichita and other municipal and agricultural users faster than the $240 million recharge project would replenish it.

Financing a new water supply is the biggest reason council members might ask voters to approve a 1-cent sales tax increase, perhaps as early as November.

Information from: The Wichita (Kan.) Eagle