Cape Girardeau Water Proposal: Mayor urges voters to get informed

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KBSI) – Voters will be able to decide November 5 whether to approve a water bill increase to fund critical needs to Capes water treatment plant.

According to the City of Cape Girardeau the City of Cape Girardeau water treatment plant needs significant upgrades and many old water mains across the city need to be replaced.

Cape Girardeau Mayor Stacey Kinder says this is something that will affect all city residents of Cape Girardeau.

“With huge federal and state elections on the ballot on November 5th, local Cape residents need to know about this crucial ballot issue that will impact every user of clean water in the city,” said Mayor Stacy Kinder.

If the ballot issue does not pass, the City will continue with emergency repairs, but water shortages are likely, and a quality decline is possible. Without investment, Cape’s water system will become increasingly less reliable, and officials say that water conservation orders are likely.

If it does pass, most customers can expect to see an increase $8-14 a month starting in January 2025. The increase would still keep the average water bill below the Missouri average. Funding from customer water bills for the city is designed to specifically be used for the water system only and cannot be spent on other purposes.

According to the City the election comes just a year after a water main break caused a boil water advisory for 5,700 households on Thanksgiving 2023. A main break shutdown Perryville Road recently, and the City has had multiple record-breaking advisories in the last few years.

The City switched from river water to well water in 2012. The source water became slower to treat only in recent years. In 2022, the City received an updated Water Systems Facility Plan, which identified several large projects costing much more than what current funding could support.

City officials are asking the community to learn more online at citofcape.org/water, at plant tours, or to contact their officials.

The website includes videos, a bill calculation tool, ballot language, and more.