Pollution a top concern for water advocates

Water. It's essential to all of us. But pollution and limited resources threaten our water supplies, and a confusing web of entities controls who gets water and how much. The Herald's exclusive, six-part series examines important water issues facing Franklin County.

As the population and construction in the 4,300-square-mile area around the Marais des Cygnes river system in Kansas increases, a group involved in water quality issues is trying to head off increased water pollution that often results from increased development.

The advisory committee, a subunit of the Kansas Water Authority and the Kansas Water Office, which oversee state water policy and regulations, is comprised of area volunteers, public officials and water experts, that advises the state authority about issues and problems in the Marais des Cygnes basin, which encompasses slightly more than six counties, including Franklin County, and parts of seven others in east central Kansas which are drained by the Marais des Cygnes and its tributaries.

A key element of the basin are the three big reservoirs built and operated by the U.S. Corps of Engineers -- Pomona, Melvern and Hillsdale -- to control flooding along the river and to provide recreation and wildlife opportunities.

But increasingly, those lake are becoming important sources of water for the rapidly-growing communities in the basin.

The committee wrestles with weighty issues, including who is responsibile for protecting and supplying enough drinking water, who should be allowed to profit from the water, drinking water vs. agricultural use, the costs of improving water quality.

Area members of the 12-member group, which meets quarterly, includes Charlene Lister, Ottawa; Cecil Frieden, Pomona, Fran Bennett, Williamsburg; and Jeff Casten, Quenemo. Meetings, which are rotated among cities in the basin, are open to the public.

The basin committee is one of 12 spread across the state.

Although the group isn't well-known to the public, it is trying to raise its profile with the public; and at the same time, spur efforts among the public to prevent the flow of contaminants into the river and its tributaries and lakes, and to promote conservation, Lister and Bennett said.