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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (March 26, 1981)
Page 12 THE BATTALION THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 1981 Dennis Ivey's Lakeview Club The Very Best In Country-Western Music and Dancing" 1 Thursday The Traditional Nickle Beer Night’ Music Bv Dennis Ivey & “The Way men” Lone Star Draft Beer 5C cup or $1.00 pitcher Cover $1.00 Ladies — $3.00 Men u Saturday Night Hank Williams' Original DRIFTING COWBOYS plus Dennis Ivey &, "The Waymen" Dancing 9-1 Doors Open 8 p.m. For Reservations Call 823-0660 85.00 Person 3 Miles North of Bryan on Tabor Road Features Area towns expanding water systems Low-interest loans initiated growth! By PAT DAVIDSON Battalion Reporter The convenience of city water began flowing to rural areas of Bra zos County in 1966 when more than 100 families living in the Well born area south of College Station banded together to get a low- interest government loan to estab lish a water supply system. Wellborn Water Supply Cor poration’s example was followed in 1967 by Brushy along Farm Road 60 west of College Station, and in 1969 by Wixon in the eastern quar ter of the county. Today the three supply systems provide water to more than 2,100 meters. Based on U.S. Census Bureau estimations of 3.5 persons per dwelling, this translates to more than half of the county’s 11,926 residents living outside the city limits of Bryan and College Station. The water systems initiated rapid growth in the areas they serve, both by providing water where there had previously been none, and by providing a more con venient and economical supply than many of the private wells they replaced or supplemented. But the flood of growth has car ried with it some problems. For oV, oV tap® 8 1® vX •*"> v - 3601 E. 29th St. Post Oak Center 846-3162 $ 4 An LIST PRICE $8.98 • UU KJrr SALE PRICE $4.98 THE WHO “FACE DANCES” TIDDIES HAVE ARRIVED! 2 & 3 LAYER PLUS T-SHIRTS, HUGGERS, SOCKS, VISORS & KIDDIES TIDDIES N J jZjAj Cj TONIGHT LADIES NIGHT & ZACHARIAS PUB St GAME ROOM ARM WRESTLING TOURNAMENT Save 20% on June, July & August when you lease for 1 year. ^J.ar»den*a Exceptionally large apartments. Uniquely designed. Ideally located. Certainly more than just a place to sleep. Gardena is minutes away from the TAMU campus, several major shopping centers, and is on the shuttle bus route. Within easy walking distance you’ll find recreation, parks and restaurants. We’re located across from Woodstone Center on Highway 30. Large, new apartments Over sized walk-in closets Shuttle bus route Convenient location Pool Laundry Many extras A Temporary Office in Apt. #308 L T Ca p a r t m e n t s) 1903 Dartmouth Dr., College Station 693-8922 The Farmers Home Administration provides loans to public bodies or nonprofit organizations unable to obtain funds from other sources at reasonable rates. example, the Wixon system, de signed to serve 750 meters, is stunted while it waits for a loan to finance improvements to enable it to adequately supply the 1,100 . meters for which monthly water P unl P s . storage arm treatment faci born system has jumped from the initial $50 deposit to a minimum charge of $600. James Redman, a charter mem ber of the Wellborn system, said residents of that community had difficulty getting water from their private wells, most of which were 300 to 500 feet deep. Sulfur, salt and other minerals affected the quality of the water and lent it an unpleasant taste and odor, he said. A few of those who knew the difficulty of drilling and upkeep for private wells started meeting to learn how to obtain a 40-year loan at 5 percent interest from the Far mers Home Administration, Red man said. More than 100 families were solicited to put up deposits. An en gineer was consulted to determine the feasibility of the project, both in availability of water and ability of the system’s members to repay the loan. The request was also re viewed to see that it was consistent with water development plans for the county. The initial loan covered the cost of drilling wells and constructing meter within the property bound ary of each member. Two of Wellborn’s three original wells failed and were abandoned within six years, Redman said. Two-thirds of the system’s water is purchased from Texas A&M Uni versity, with the third well provid ing the rest. In addition, Wellborn can buy water from the city of Col lege Station. The water system is owned and operated by the members who use it. A nine-member board of dire ctors, of which Redman is presi dent, governs the 702-member organization. The system serves 1,060 meters, which Redman said indicates multiple ownership of meters. However, each member has only one vote in the corpora tion, even if he owns more than one meter, he said. The Farmers Home Administra tion provides loans to public bodies Brushy system is beingd It would extend servicetoij Fairview, Smetana and o munides located n Bryan. Private artesian into an aquifer were theti al source of rural water.] wells were usually drilledij 200 feet deep, at an estim of $7 per foot. The ownerJ well was responsible f nance and sanitation with ij datory government regi Three local well ported that they have i business as they can 1 'The rural water su ations have not cut it ket,” the wife of one o said in a telephone intend Commercial water supp;| terns, such as Southern uj provide water to a small p tago of the county’s rural rr The FmHA-assisted| supply systems in Brazo have been dynamic, growth has led to some con rates are paid. lities, distribution lines, and pur- And the cost ofjoining the Well- chllsin g and installing a water AGGIES! Dom James Redman, a charter member of the Wellborn system, said residents of sial _ I ’ ollcu ‘ s that community bad diffi culty getting water from their private wells, most of which were 300 to 500 feet deep. The 40-year loans at a*, i are far below current lendiJP’ In this sense, taxpayers st||; 0nn< the government-assisted 1 tions. There is also a hiddemp maintaining the govern agencies that are a partollifi munity assistance progra*|| Farmers Home, theBraMife Development Counci anil* Valley Community) Agency. Two of the county’s oA systems charge an extrafapft- members in anticipation® additional expense By 10% AGGIE DISCOUNT ON ALL MERCHANDISE WITH STUDENT ID (Cash Only Please) We reserve the right to limit use of this privilege. Downtown Bryan (212 N. Main) and Culpepper Plaza </> Vs o ?< £ N OS o a I or nonprofit organizations unable to obtain funds from other sources at reasonable rates. Charles Lyons, district FmllA representative serving Brazos County, said any money collected by the systems must go toward re- auU j‘j 11 ? 1 ' I U Head fi payment of the loan or into a fund ^ 1 ( 1 ( 111 1C u urc jnTook 1 c .. j • . date new members. tor operation and maintenance ex- M sc penses. The money cannot be dis- Wellborn charges ne»jlefioon tributed among corporation mem- hers a $500 expansion rest'pring br< hers, he said. in addition to the FmHAn- Wilson The systems must adhere to ship (which has risen toSl rOgicss i Texas Department of Health re- the cost of the meter and iitfedmi quirements for water quality and - that quantity supplied to each meter. In ; H addition, each system is required Hrc h; to have a licensed operator. Private artesian IP-) 0 ^ t ^ 1< Whereas the Wellborn water , . ^Bf goo system formed in response to had lllcd into 3/1 Mijsaw s water and faltering wells, Mrs. were the fratM? 111 Morrison Moore, a lifetime resi- /■ , ulson ar dent of Brazos County who was in- s durce Ol rural I'bepncon strumental in organizing the Wix- These wells were Uil 1 ? 81 ^ .jam defe (' ias a way LUNCH SPECIAL I i Good Only 11:30 AM-4:30 PM on Water Supply Corp., said the a ‘11 J j water system serving her area was ar "/eu around . formed largely in response to land deep, at an estimatmEr^: development in the area. r r . iBuildin People living in the area or own- ^ per WOl. |]$ one i ing land decided a water corpora- B 165 8° tion would he preferable to drilling „^ sc individual wells, providing the a low-interest loan could be ing the pipe to the propertfWjght c obtained, she said. Most of the the minimum charge fo/W. ast $2.00 OFF MORE ITEM PIZZA ANY LARGE 2 OR OR $1.00 OFF MORE ITEM PIZZA. ONE COUPON PER PIZZA. FREE DELIVERY WITHIN LIMITED AREA. 4407 TEXAS AVE. 1504 HOLLEMAN — EX PIRES 3-31-81. S 846-8861 | I I I I ANY SMALL 2 OR people living in the area had wells the Wellborn system is S(' l J 0 si , 'o n s but wanted a backup system, she Critics of this policy gfjyke I said. In addition, property owners unfair and expensive. M ) '% St who anticipated moving to the out that members alreat® that area put up deposits, since the system received low rates^phav water meter increased the value of ernment assistance. |r" e se ' the land, Moore said. Corporation officials, Ul Anderson Jones, president of view such a fee as a "mattjr r ‘. , s 11 Brushy Water Supply Corpora- vival ” ® m< tion, said the system was started “for the convenience of a lot of peo ple who were not able to have run ning water.” The system was orga nized in 1967 with just 35 mem bers; today it includes 110 meters. An additional FmllA loan was secured recently that will enable Brushy to expand its facility to ac commodate approximately 500 new members, Jones said. De posits were made on 292 of the new meters before the loan was granted, he said. . „ , . ■ Bor sal Larry Brown, who is iri |d e |j nec l year as business managsML j j e Wixon system, said “tkC.|j a y j 3l you can tell that growth iift ren g t j 1 , occur is when a custo!tf|rj| u , c j e through the door.” ttuestion Lyons said the fee is w gone, hr set forth by the Farffl^Bth Go Administration. parted cl “But they (the membTLore an the system. We (FmHi rOn the want the system. But * " as encoi them to provide water tt® 16 un H Our haircuts come with a guarantee. Guaranteed haircuts. The professionals at both That Place locations guarantee you'll get a professional haircut — one that fits your personality and lifestyle. It's that simple. Call today for your guaranteed haircut. Sorry, no cash refunds. 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