We stand behind the Camdenton Board of Aldermen’s decision to require more information before committing to a plan to explore reuse of a bad well.
We are certain the residents of Camdenton do.
A new municipal well is an expensive endeavor. But reopening a well that was closed for a very good reason - that the health and well being of city residents was in jeopardy - ought to loom even larger.
We see no harm in exploring possibilities. And we’re sure we don’t need to remind city officials this may likely be a year revenues fall short of projections.
But an elected board must always move cautiously before committing any of its citizen’s resources to a private company, all the more so in this instance.
The biggest obstacle we see in reopening a TCE-contaminated well is trust.
Will city residents trust their water is no longer contaminated with the toxic industrial cleaning agent  trichloroethylene just because a private company says so?
The burden of proof there is huge and rests not only on the company seeking a contract, but also directly on the shoulders of each member of the board. That is and should be a sobering thought to consider.