Polk County owns the line and is able to extend lines from the main line to provide water to additional Polk customers. Polk County residents who tap on to the lines are customers of ICWD and Polk

ICWD has sold 62 taps already in Polk County with 51 taps installed, 46 of which will be made active. Walker said 54 percent of Polk residents have already paid for their water taps. Walker said he has never seen such a high level of participation before.

Walker gave a presentation to commissioners that detailed the total $8.16 million project with construction beginning in August, 2008 and water running through the lines in December, 2008. The project was done in four and a half months, which Walker and county officials said Monday was remarkable considering the size of the project.

The total project was approximately 20 miles of 20- and 16-inch water lines in both North and South Carolina. North Carolina has about seven miles (38,194 linear feet) of 20-inch water line with the rest in South Carolina.

The Polk side included 22 fire hydrants, one pump station, one river crossing and 556 linear feet of road bores. Walker said with all the construction, there was only one unhappy resident.

In South Carolina, there is 37,741 linear feet of 20-inch water line and 23,305 feet of 16-inch water line. There were 13 fire hydrants, one pump station ($800,000 cost), one river crossing, 1,215 linear feet of road bores, one railroad crossing and one interstate crossing.

The line in Polk County stretches across the southeast corner of of the county (see map, pg. 9) in Green Creek Township. The line goes along W. Melvin Hill, Chesnee Hwy. and Poors Ford Road. Polk County plans extensions off the main water line on Blackwood Road and up Chesnee Hwy. to Sandy Plains Road to provide water to White Oak development.

ICWD has agreed to construct extensions for Polk County up to one mile or less. &dquo;Any projects we can do that would benefit any residents in our service area, which includes Polk County, we&squo;ll be glad to do,&dquo; Walker said.

ICWD has a total of 12,000 accounts, Walker reported, with&bsp; low debt and does not tax its district. Walker also reviewed water rates, including those for Polk County, where residents pay an average of $35 per month, which is low compared to area districts, according to Walker.

ICWD water rates include a base rate of $20.16 for up to 2,000 gallons of water and $3.25 per 1,000 gallons of usage between 2,001 and 20,000 gallons per month. (see price chart above.)

Walker said the project was possible due to the good relationships with Polk County and BRWA officials.

Walker also reviewed a new concept ICWD is providing that is a water hut, which is a centrally located hut that will turn well water into bottled water for 25 cents per gallon. He said ICWD would be interested in partnering with Polk County to install one somewhere in Green Creek at no cost to Polk County.

Walker said the water hut is simply a public service ICWD is willing to do for people with wells.