REAL TV, REAL PEOPLE: Watch RVTV's Government & Public Access archives for authentic local television from Southern Oregon
The Ashland City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to fund a 2.6 million dollar extension of a water pipeline from the Talent to Ashland to bring Medford Water Commission H2O flowing into Ashland pipes by mid-August. Facing the potential of a severe drought year and an already tight water supply, the Council is taking emergency action to avoid running out of water from Reeder Reservoir this summer. You can see the Council deliberation here on the RVTV PEG Player.
The debate to join in with Talent and Phoenix to complete the “TAP” (Talent, Ashland, Phoenix) water line from the City of Medford has been an off and on again item for over a decade. The present Council had been working on the details to tie in to the new source in a year or so, but the prospect of a severe drought this summer is moving the project forward with emergency status. The City provides residents and businesses water from it’s own distribution system, augmented each spring through fall by Talent Irrigation District water.
Ashland would only use the additional water from Medford in emergency situations, but by completing the pipeline from Talent, would assure citizens that additional resource is in place and available when needed.