Controversial Well Field Gets Approval from Jefferson County P&Z

By Gordon HopkinsDespite significant opposition from members of the public, the Jefferson County Planning and Zoning Committee voted unanimously to recommend a special use permit for two wells to be drilled on the property of Bill and Mary Glenn, approximately two miles north of Alexandria State Lakes.The wells being proposed are not for private use but instead will provide water to customers of the Little Blue Natural Resources District (LBNRD). A public hearing was held Thursday evening, August 14, at the Jefferson County Courthouse, giving the public an opportunity for input before the decision. There were approximately 50 people in attendance. While the majority of those who spoke opposed the project, members of the committee made clear to those in attendance that they would be basing their decision on whether or not the project met the guidelines for a special use permit and not on any other factors.“Does the project fit our definition of land use? Is it permitted?” said Committee Chair Randy Welsch. “That’s what we deal with on this board.” The ProjectThe project includes the construction of two municipal supply wells, each having a pumping capacity of 400 gallons per minute. The project has a design capacity of 400 gallons per minute, so only one well will run at any given time. Two wells are being sunk because the state requires a backup well for emergency purposes. Other project components include 14.2 miles of buried 10-inch and 8-inch waterline, a 50,000 gallon above ground storage tank, a booster pump station and backup generator.In 2023, a Deed of Easement was secured with the Glenn family. The easement deeded the rights to all groundwater under the 640-acre tract and included the abandonment of a current 1,000-gallon permit irrigation well. The deed also prohibits the development of future high-capacity wells except those constructed for municipal use.In 2023, LBNRD approved a groundwater transfer permit, which includes a clause that the project will not sell or provide water to any other municipality.The cost estimate for the project is $10,055,000. Federal and state grants will pay for $6,608,000. The remaining $3,600,000 will be paid with a 40-year loan at 2.875 percent APR (annual percentage rate).According to LBNRD, the average cost of service for a customer who uses 6,000 gallons per month will be $65 per month.LBNRD General Manager Scott Nelson explained some of the engineering complications of the project, “We have a permit to bore under the Burlington Northern Railroad that was recently approved, and a permit to bore under the river there.”LBNRD also purchased property from Elizabeth Kujath for a portion of the project. Nelson said, “We purchased point three, six acres of land there from her $15,000 and that’s where the pumping station, the backup generator, and there’ll be an on ground 50,000-gallon storage tank there.” Reason for the ProjectNelson explained the LBNRD does not wish to purchase water from another source. LBNRD has purchased potable water from the City of Fairbury since 1975. In 2019, the City of Fairbury increased project water rates from $1.91 per thousand gallons to $3.42.The NRD purchases on average 50 million gallons of water annually. According to LBNRD’s figures, the increase in 2019 means the annual cost of purchasing water from the City of Fairbury rose from $86,500 to $178,400.In addition, nitrates in Fairbury’s water supply have increased from seven parts per million to just under 10 parts per million.Based on the cost and nitrates, the rural water advisory board recommended in 2019 that LBNRD find a new water source.Is There Enough Water?A major concern raised by opponents of the project is the impact to surrounding wells.“From the get go, our board said they would not pursue a project that would negatively impact anyone near the project. We invested over $100,000 for hydrology studies and groundwater models to verify that we wouldn’t,” said Nelson. “Our consultants said that would be minimal or no impact to neighboring wells. This is why we proceeded forward with that.”Not everyone agreed with that assessment. David Endorf, a landowner in Jefferson County, said the proposed sites for the wells are “On the very edge of a poor aquifer.”Referencing a map prepared by LRE Water, a water consulting firm, Endorf said, “The yellow areas immediately to the south in section four clearly show yellow and orange, which means little or no groundwater. In simple terms, guys, you just don’t drill a municipal well field on the edge of an aquifer.”Alan Kenning of Hebron is one of 17 members who sit on the LBNRD Board. He said, “You can take data and skew it however you want it to look, but what they tell us is there’s not going to be any ill effect in the area.”Bill Glenn, owner of the land where the wells will be sunk, also spoke at the meeting.He indicated that he would no longer be irrigating his land, “So, we’re essentially taking water that could have been used for irrigation to go to municipal use. There’s no double dipping on this land.” Environmental ConcernsAnother concern raised by Endorf is an abandoned sand pit approximately one mile southwest of one of the proposed wells. In a letter to the LBNRD Board, Endorf wrote, “This unsecured facility has a deep pit with exposed groundwater. Drawings from LRE indicate the proposed will draw water from this area, along with any contaminants that it may contain. This is an environmental disaster waiting to happen!”FJN reached out to Nelson after the meeting. He responded via email, “Proposed rural water wells will not draw water from this sand pit. There will be no risk of contamination.” LawsuitIn May of 2024, a group of landowners calling themselves the Jefferson County Water Rights Coalition filed a legal complaint challenging the LBNRD approved groundwater transfer permit. The complaint alleged, “LBNRD has declined to file an application for a permit under the Interstate Transfers Act.”LBNRD applied for an in-state and out-of-state groundwater transfer permit from the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources in February of 2025. According to Nelson, the NRD is “Waiting for their review.” Next StepsThe Planning and Zoning Committee does not have the authority to approve the permit. They can only make a recommendation. Their recommendation will go to Jefferson County Commissioner for the final decision. A meeting to discuss the matter will be held in the commissioners’ room on Tuesday, September 3, at 9:30 a.m.

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