Saluda Water/Sewer Commissioner John Morgan says the city wants to purchase the Tuxedo water system to use the system eventually as the city&squo;s primary source of water. The well system, Morgan says, will be able to provide water to the approximately 70 current Tuxedo customers, the approximately 90 customers of Lake Summit that Saluda already serves and eventually customers in Saluda.

Morgan says he hopes to close on the system in a month or so. Saluda plans first to serve the Tuxedo customers and then hook up the Lake Summit customers to the system. Morgan says eventually the city will hook up Saluda customers, but plans on keeping its relationship with the Hendersonville water system. Plans are for Saluda to be hooked up to the system in a year to a year and a half, Morgan says.

Saluda is now looking for Henderson County&squo;s approval of the purchase and to have discussions with the City of Hendersonville prior to making the purchase.

Saluda will also need to do draw down tests on the two wells that make up the Tuxedo water system and get financing approval from the state.

Saluda is negotiating for the purchase with Aqua America, which owns the Tuxedo system, but the city has already signed a purchase agreement.