January 30, 2007
Contact:
Lisa Taylor
Director of Communications
Kansas Department of Agriculture
(785) 296-2653
ltaylor@kda.state.ks.us
Water meter requirement topic of informational meetings
TOPEKA -- Water right holders in south-central Kansas are encouraged to attend an informational meeting to learn more about a requirement that water meters be installed on all non-domestic surface water and groundwater points of diversion.
The meters are required under an order signed by the chief engineer of the Kansas Department of Agriculture's division of water resources for an area that includes all or parts of Meade, Clark, Comanche, Kiowa, Barber, Rice Reno, Kingman, Harper and Sumner counties. The area is bordered by the Kansas-Oklahoma state line and groundwater management districts two, three and five.
Some water users in the area already are under a 1992 order to have water meters. The current order covers a broader area and is a step toward meeting a statewide goal to have all non-domestic points of diversion metered by 2015.
Information meetings are scheduled as follows:
10:30 a.m.
Tuesday, February 13
Ashland Public Library
604 Main
Ashland
2 p.m.
Tuesday, February 13
Comanche County Courthouse
201 South New York
Coldwater
10 a.m.
Thursday, February 15
Kingman County Activity Center
South Main
Kingman
2 p.m.
Thursday, February 15
Anthony Municipal Hall
130 East Main
Anthony
Attendees at the meetings will receive a list of flow meters approved by the division of water resources and instructions on how to properly install the meters.
The Kansas Water Plan directs the chief engineer to require that water meters be installed on all non-domestic points of diversion by the end of calendar year 2015 and recommends that he implement regulatory solutions as necessary in areas of declining groundwater and decreased stream flow. Meters are already required across most of Kansas.
Questions about the meter requirement can be answered by staff at the division of water resources Stafford field office at (620) 234-5311.