AWWA JAW46163

Completing a major water supply project in today's tangle of environmental, regulatory, legal, political, and property rights issues may cost utilities lots of time and money -and do little to boost their public image. City Utilities (CU) of Springfield, Missouri, faced these challenges head on while investigating and implementing plans to develop a new 30 mgd (0.114 x 10 6 m3/d) water supply. The utility involved community leaders, water consumers, landowners, governing agencies, regulators, and the news media from planning through design to construction and startup. These efforts helped lead to a high quality project completed under budget and ahead of schedule. Such success is attributed largely to a thorough public involvement campaign resulting in wide public acceptance. Voters approved a $57.5 million bond issue to finance the project by 89 to 11 percent. Includes 3 references, tables, figures.