HALSTEAD - At the June 10 meeting, the Equus Beds Board of Directors adopted, by resolution, a budget totaling $356,037 for the next fiscal year, beginning January 1, 2009.  The approved expenditures are a 3 percent decrease compared to the current budget.

The total value for land and water assessments, based on 2007 values, was $297,850.  Other revenue sources totaled $37,000 and included reimbursements and interest.  Carryover funds totaled $158,531.

The adopted rates to fund the FY 2009 budget are 5 cents per acre for land and 82 cents per acre-foot for water, which are the same as the current FY 2008 budget.  The land assessment rate is at the maximum limit set by the law and the water assessment charge is below the maximum limit of $1.00 per acre-foot.

At the adopted assessment rates, a quarter section of land (160 acres) will be assessed $8; and 100 acre-feet of water will be assessed $82.00, or $0.00251 per 1,000 gallons.

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HALSTEAD - Since the establishment of the Equus Beds Groundwater Management District water well plugging program in July 1990, water well owners have taken advantage of the well plugging program and have plugged over 1,500 wells.

The purpose of the program was to form a partnership with well owners to eliminate health, safety, and groundwater contamination problems caused by abandoned and unplugged water wells.

The program provides, at no cost to the owner, plugging information and offers technical assistance to well owners including:

• A well site inspection,
  
• A plugging materials and cost estimate,


• A custom plugging plan and illustration,


• On-site technical assistance, and
  
• Filing the well plugging report.

For more information on this program, contact the Equus Beds Groundwater Management District.