March 6, 2008
Pioche, Panaca and the LC Water District

By Dave Maxwell, Staff Writer

The towns of Panaca and Pioche feel there is no need having the Lincoln County Water District (LCWD) as their water provider for some time to come.

Pioche Water Board Member Glenn Zelch said it all depends on should there come a time when Pioche has used up all of their water. “If we reach the point, years out in the future, where we have used all of our available water supply, then we would be interested in talking with the County Water District about providing us more water.” But Pioche does not have that need at this point, he said, “Because we’ve got more water available than we’re currently using.”

Zelch was asked in a telephone interview to respond to comments made at the February 26 Lincoln County Water District meeting, that Pioche and Panaca might be interested in help from the LCWD, if the necessary expertise and staff could be provided.

He said Pioche has no need right now to “discuss with the County Water District about providing us water.” If the town should get to that point, he said, “It would also depend upon what kind of rate they would charge versus what we think it would cost us to do our own. Then we would decide to go with them or not.”

Keith Pearson, member of the Panaca Water Board, also said in a telephone interview, that Panaca is fine with their own water supply at present. However, if sometime in the future a need might arise, they would consider talking with the LCWD.