A project in the works for nearly two decades is one step closer to securing adequate water supplies for future southwest Missouri communities.
In January, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army approved a decision that will allow storage space in Stockton Lake to be “reallocated” for drinking water and industrial water supply for communities that participate in the SWMO Water consortium, a SWMO Water press release said.
Previous reporting in 2022 indicated that there was a 53-million gallon gap between current supplies and the projected need in the region through 2060. The allocation at Stockton Lake will make about 38 million gallons of water per day available, which closes more than half the gap.
Since the ’90s, a 45-mile pipeline has run from Stockton Lake to Fellows Lake to supply water to Springfield during droughts.
The Army Corps of Engineers and Missouri Department of Natural Resources have been working with SWMO Water — made up of the Tri-State Water Resource Coalition and the Southwest Missouri Joint Municipal Water Utility Commission — for 20 years to secure water for southwest Missouri, according to a recent news release.
The announcement says the project will be a boon for local economies, contributing close to a $1 billion and thousands of jobs as work begins on the water distribution network.
“This source will bring life sustaining benefits to Southwest Missourians for years to come as well as serve as a critical economic driver,” said Roddy Rogers, SWMO Water’s executive directive and former manager of the water system for Springfield’s City Utilities.
In the release, SWMO Water thanked Congressmen Eric Burlison and Mark Alford, Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves and Sen. Eric Schmitt for their work securing approval for the project and help passing the Water Resources Development Act of 2024 that became law Jan. 5.
SPRINGFIELD NEWS-LEADER
