Something needs to be done to help Edgar’s city water, but the options are thin.
The Edgar City Council voiced resentment during its monthly meeting on Nov. 13 at not having more freedom of choice if it wants to take advantage of a USDA grant that would pay 75 percent of the cost to fix its nitrate situation.
“It’s hard to give up free money,” Edgar’s Mayor Brad Brennfoerder said. “The last thing we want to do is break the city.”
The problem is, the USDA grant is contingent on running a pipeline between Edgar and Fairfield—an unpopular idea as of now.
The Edgar City Council has long been considering how to address the high nitrate levels in its city water. State regulations require nitrate levels in drinking water to stay below 10 parts per million. Edgar’s nitrate level sits at 11 to 12 parts per million, according to the city’s engineer Mike Schultes.