[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 117 (Friday, August 2, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1493-E1494]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             PERKINS COUNTY RURAL WATER SYSTEM ACT OF 1996

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. TIM JOHNSON

                            of south dakota

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, August 2, 1996

  Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. Speaker, today I am proud to 
introduce legislation to authorize two critically important rural water 
systems in South Dakota, the Perkins County Rural Water System Act of 
1996, and the Fall River Water Users District Rural Water System Act of 
1996. Both bills are strongly supported by local project sponsors who 
have demonstrated that support by agreeing to substantial financial 
contributions from the local level.
  Like many parts of South Dakota, these two counties have insufficient 
water supplies of reasonable quality available, and the water supplies 
that are available do not meet the minimum health and safety standards, 
thereby posing a threat to public health and safety.
  In addition to improving the health of residents in the region, I 
strongly believe that these rural drinking water delivery projects will 
help to stabilize the rural economy in both regions. Water is a basic 
commodity and is essential if we are to foster rural development in 
many parts of rural South Dakota, including the Perkins County and Fall 
River County areas.
  The Perkins County Rural Water System Act of 1996 authorizes the 
Bureau of Reclamation to construct a Perkins County Rural Water System 
providing service to approximately 2,500 people, including the 
communities of Lemmon and Bison, as well as rural residents. The 
Perkins County Rural Water System is located in northwestern South 
Dakota along the South Dakota/North Dakota border and it will be an 
extension of an existing rural water system in North Dakota, the 
southwest pipeline project. The State of South Dakota has worked 
closely with the State of North Dakota over the years on the Perkins 
County connection to the southwest pipeline project. A feasibility 
study completed in 1994 looked at several alternatives for a dependable 
water supply, and the connection to the southwest pipeline project is 
clearly the most feasible for the Perkins County area.
  Past cycles of severe drought in the southeastern area of Fall River 
County have left local residents without a satisfactory water supply 
and during 1990, many home owners and ranchers were forced to haul 
water to sustain their water needs. Currently, many residents are 
either using bottled water for human consumption or they are using 
distillers due to the poor quality of the water supplies available. 
After conducting a feasibility study and preliminary engineering 
report, the best available, reliable, and safe rural and municipal 
water supply to serve the needs of the Fall River Water Users District 
consists of a Madison aquifer well, three separate water storage 
reservoirs, three pumping stations, and approximately 200 miles of 
pipeline. The legislation I am introducing today authorizes the Bureau 
of Reclamation to construct a rural water system in Fall River County 
as described above. The Fall River system will serve rural residents, 
as well as the community of Oelrichs and the Angostura State Recreation 
Area.

[[Page E1494]]

  Mr. Speaker, South Dakota is plagued by water of exceedingly poor 
quality, and the Perkins County and Fall River County rural water 
projects are efforts to help provide clean water--a commodity most of 
us take for granted--to the people of South Dakota. I am a strong 
believer in the Federal Government's role in rural water delivery, and 
I hope to continue to advance that agenda both in South Dakota and 
around the country. I urge my colleagues to support both of these 
important rural water bills, and I look forward to working with my 
colleagues on the House Resources Committee to move forward on 
enactment as quickly as possible.

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