The Glasgow Water Company, located along West Main Street in Glasgow, touts its continued infrastructure projects and some of the lowest water rates in Kentucky.
(BRENNAN CRAIN/WCLU NEWS)
Story by Angela Briggs, special to WCLU News
GLASGOW — Glasgow Water Company General Manager Scott Young gave his “State of the Water Company” address to the city council Monday evening, and he noted the continued low rates for service and the company’s continued investment in infrastructure.
The GWC is the tenth largest water company in the state. The company’s coverage area spans 444 square miles across Barren, Allen and Metcalfe Counties. All the lines end-to-end would stretch from Glasgow to Denver, Colo.
Young has been the manager at the water utility for 16 years. The GWC has been able to reinvest money back into the utility, while also developing a long-term capital improvement plan for the next two decades.
“Infrastructure is a vital component to economic development and meeting capacity and demand issues that are ongoing,” Young said. “And just for future growth in your community.”
Long term plans include the addition of elevated water storage tanks, upgrades to the water treatment plant and line replacement. The total investment is worth $118 million, he said.
Young said these types of in-house improvements will not only ensure regulatory compliance and customer reliability but will also boost other aspects of the utility.
The GWC will take advantage of available grant funding and all federal dollars they can get, he said. Increased operating costs and new EPA requirements are expected to impact the utility’s budget soon.
The utility still boasts some of the lowest rates. Residents are paying about $5 less per 2,000 gallons of water, as compared to Warren County residents. The cost is even steeper compared to Hardin County residents, who pay about $10 more per 2,000 gallons. Tompkinsville customers pay nearly $20 more than Barren County customers.
Joe Watson will become the newest manager of the utility after Young’s departure June 30.
“Scott’s done a great job of managing the water company for the past 16 years, and we are positioned to move forward well into the future,” Watson said.
The GWC operates a water treatment facility at Barren River Lake. It treats 1.1 billion gallons of water each year.