Pioneer to negotiate Water Contracts with Cities

Tuesday afternoon, the Board of Directors for the Pioneer Rural Water District authorized General Manager Terry Pruitt to negotiate new water contracts with the cities of Seneca and Westminster. The move comes as Seneca, which supplies 60% of Pioneer’s water, decided to put Pioneer on notice that it will terminate the agreement. But Seneca’s move is seen as a way to get Pioneer to the negotiating table and establish a new rate for the wholesale agreement. In addition, Pioneer, which prevailed in a court battle against the two cities, will not seek to recover legal fees paid to defend against an attempt to halt Pioneer’s treatment plant project. This is a deal in which Pioneer won’t sue to recover legal costs and those who challenged Pioneer’s right to build the plant won’t appeal the judge’s decision which upheld Pioneer’s right to make and sell its own water. The plant remains under construction, and the new finish date is estimated to be Sept. 28.