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A Johnson County rural water district is exploring expansion options, and if those options were to include moving into Douglas County, local leaders aren't sure how much governing power they would have over the district.

"My position is that if an area in Douglas County is going to be served by a rural water district, my first choice would be to have it served by a water district domiciled in Douglas County," County Commission Chairman Bob Johnson said.

The issue was brought to the Commission's attention recently in an e-mail to Commissioner Charles Jones from Scott Schultz, manager of Douglas County Rural Water District No. 4, which serves much of the southeast area of the county. Schultz said he was asked by Johnson County Rural Water District No. 7 if the district had any designs on attaching unserved areas in southeastern Douglas County.

Schultz said he contacted Jones because his district's board of directors wanted to know what commissioners thought about having another county's water district move into the area instead of a local district.

During a recent commission meeting Johnson, Jones and Commissioner Jere McElhaney asked County Administrator Craig Weinaug to find out what options and powers the county would have concerning an out-of-county rural water district's expansion plans.

If Johnson RWD 7 wanted to expand into unserved areas of southeastern Douglas County it would need to get approval from Johnson County commissioners, but not Douglas County commissioners, Weinaug said. That's the state statute, he said.

Karl Gehring/Journal-World Graphic

Johnson RWD 7, however, isn't planning on a major expansion into Douglas County, manger Allan Soetaert said. The district, which currently serves about 2,100 customers, is going to survey possible expansion in Johnson County, and that could include areas along the Douglas County line, he said.

"We will send a survey to a limited number of Douglas County folks, primarily those along the Johnson County line, but not beyond that," Soetaert said. "It doesn't make much sense to run a water line down the county line and not allow the use of that public water supply to folks in Douglas County if they so choose."

McElhaney said he'd like to keep water service in the county with local water districts, but he can understand the economics of running service across a county line road if a customer requested it "but we don't want them going any farther."

McElhaney also said he hoped Johnson County officials would consult with Douglas County before approving expansion across the county line.

Commissioners wonder if such an expansion could lead to land development complications. Rural subdivision and development regulation revisions put forth by the county are being reviewed by the Lawrence-Douglas County Planning Commission. A local water district might be more willing to join the county and cities in a common land use process, commissioners said.

"You manage growth on the basis of what's good policy, and the interests of the water district must fit in that context," Jones said. "We're not here to serve the water district if it's bad policy. The water district's operations have to follow a sound planning policy."

Commissioners said they still want to know more about what the state statute means concerning expansion, especially across county lines.

"We should find out what our responsibilities are," Johnson said.

Douglas County has six rural water districts. Records at the Kansas Rural Water Assn. show both Douglas RWD 4 and RWD 5 have about 1,000 customers. Records show RWD 2 with 434; RWD 1 with 372 and RWD 6 with 225. Some of Douglas RWD 3 extends into Shawnee County.

Schultz said his district had not been trying to expand. Before an expansion took place the board would want the opinions of its current customers. The district also would need to know whether expansion would be worth the money that would be involved to extend service and that recapturing costs wouldn't put a burden on its current customers.

"They (board of directors) need to look at the economics," Schultz said.

Rural water districts from Franklin, Osage and Jefferson have had small, extended areas into Douglas County for some years. Weinaug said he doesn't know of problems or major issues involving the county and those water districts.