The Fairbanks City Council on Monday approved an ordinance that’s intended to help provide drinking water for property owners in an area on the city’s south side who’ve lost the use of their wells because of groundwater contamination.
Mayor Jim Matherly said it’s only the first step toward addressing the mounting costs of the contamination problem.
The council voted 5-1 to approve an amended ordinance that would provide a $2,500 stipend for two years to help pay water bills for property owners along 30th Avenue near the Regional Fire Training Center, who until recently had used their wells for drinking water.
Fox told the council that each hookup will cost the city $35,000.
“We’re looking at basically 65 to 70 homes, not including a water stipend at $35,000, added on to the $3 million that we’ve already spent,” Pruhs said.
“We need to get something done by next May,” Cleworth said.