Mounting Walhalla water issues

Scorching temperatures that make worse the dry conditions and too much of watering lawns continue to plague the Walhalla water system.  They, however, are just two of the problems that city officials zeroed-in on during this morning’s city hall meeting.  The city utilities committee meeting also focused on low water tank levels and the demand that expanding water service to the unincorporated northern end of the service territory, specifically new homes along highway 11.  Mayor Tim Hall was prompted to question whether service outside the city is coming at the detriment to infrastructure inside the city.        And Hall threw out the idea of limiting water tap sales. This morning’s meeting started with discussion of the break to an old water line July 4 in the Avondale subdivision near Highway 28 and Halfway Branch.  According to committee member Keith Pace, Walhalla should not disregard the importance that rural water line expansion means to the city’s overall utilities budget.  Zane Thompson, the interim utilities director, said what has spelled trouble is the area’s lack of rain which has led into the hot temperatures.  Mayor Hall advised the committee that a cost analysis should be a requirement when the city is asked to lay a new service line.  City officials believe a computer-generated map that covers the entire system will be a help, and city administrator Celia Myers says she’s working on that map.