Bonds for water and sewer projects approved

Voters' approval of a $58 million bond referendum on Tuesday for the Clear Lake City Water Authority means that it won't need to raise water and sewer rates.
The bond issue passed by a vote of 1,135-300 and does not increase the water authority's tax rate. Had the bond issue failed, a hike in water and sewer rates would have been used to pay for the needed projects through revenue bonds, which do not require voter approval.
I'm elated," said Gayle Yoder, president of the water authority. This is what needed to be done. We have to do the projects that we listed and are planning to do. They have to be done if we want to keep our system working."
Of the bond issue's funding, $51.7 million will be spent on rehabbing and upgrading existing facilities. Another $1.2 million is to comply with the state's new hurricane preparedness requirements, and $5.1 million is for the purchase of property for storm water detention and flood control.
This is great," Yoder said. You can tell that the voters definitely agreed and they did the right thing."