Our View: Waterline project is government 101

The $7.5 million waterline that will run along Minnesota Highway 210 from Carlton to Twin Lakes Township is a wonderful example of government done right.

For 20 years, township officials have been working to resolve issues of water quality and quantity in part of the township, especially the areas around Highway 210 and Interstate 35, like Olsonville, Schmitz Road and the hotels and businesses along 210.

There isn’t enough water there, and what water there is, isn’t very nice. It can smell like rotten eggs, some wells contain arsenic, and the water is hard and often rust-colored because of the high iron content.

It took years of planning and collaboration between Carlton and Twin Lakes Township officials to make this happen. Years of applying for grants. Work with local legislators, county officials, Fond du Lac Band representatives, and other state and federal officials. And “gazillions” of meetings, according to township chair Diane Felde-Finke.

It took people (specifically Randy Willie of Twin Lakes, Derek Wolf of Carlton and county commissioner Mark Thell) willing to jump into a truck at a moment’s notice to drive to the state capital carrying clear bottles filled with some of that unfiltered water to literally show elected officials how bad it was.

Work on the two-year waterline project started last week. When it’s done, residents and area businesses will have clean and plentiful water, a primary goal of the project.

It’s opening up other opportunities already. First and foremost, the future existence of the waterline has allowed Carlton County officials to consider an alternative site for the new jail or justice center. It could mean a better site for the future growth of whatever they build.

Already a business corridor, the waterline will allow existing businesses to expand services if they choose: whether that’s a truck wash at Kwik Trip or a hotel swimming pool. It will also make the area more attractive to new businesses.

The question of whether or not governments should allow development in areas that lack proper resources is a good one, but the cat was out of the bag in this case.

Making healthy plentiful water available was a win-win, and the payoff in terms of health and economics will continue far into the future.

It’s a good use of tax dollars.