JAMESTOWN, N.D. (SRWD) – After about three decades of service each, two board members are retiring from the Stutsman Rural Water District (SRWD.)
Mardee Heinrich, Adrian, joined the district in 1993. Darrell Patzer, Jamestown, joined the district in 1994.
The district celebrated their work at a retirement dinner on Tuesday, June 4.
“SRWD has been very fortunate,” said Geneva Kaiser, general manager. “For decades, board members like Mardee and Darrell committed their personal time to further the cause of bringing good quality water to rural users in Stutsman County and portions of five surrounding counties.”
Directors like Heinrich and Patzer adopt policies and regulations, help make certain major decisions like policy, rates and executive compensation. The board also administers loan and grant programs which fund local and regional projects.
Construction of the Stutsman Rural Water District, headquartered in Jamestown, began in 1985. Back then, the customer base consisted of 675 rural users and 14 small towns as well as users in 15 urban subdivisions. The water system’s infrastructure consisted of 900 miles of PVC pipeline, a 400 gallon per minute (gpm) water treatment plant and nine additional pump stations with underground storage. The original system provided water to customers within a 2,500 square mile area. From 1987 – 2010, SRWD’s water system experienced slow but steady growth. By 2010, SRWD reached capacity. The district even turned potential customers away due to lack of adequate infrastructure.
It was in this year that the SRWD Board of Directors, including Heinrich and Patzer, moved forward with a system-wide expansion project.
The seven-phase, system-wide expansion project included the addition of 1,160 new customers, 1,100 miles of pipeline, two pump stations, four above ground water storage tanks and increasing the water treatment plant from 400 gpm to 2,000 gpm.
SRWD grew its Industrial System too. The district now provides up to 198 million gallons of industrial water each year to the Great River Energy Power Plant in Spiritwood and 145 million gallons of industrial water per year to the Dakota Spirit AgEnergy Ethanol Plant in Spiritwood.
The board’s decision to expand through industrial customers located in the energy park created benefits. Those benefits include rate stability and contribution to reserve funds for future needs of the water system.
“Each board member brings a unique personality and perspective,” said Terry Nieland, board president. “Mardee and Darrell are no exception. I appreciate that Their leadership helped us get to this place.”
Heinrich said she enjoyed the work of the board, saying the time had come to pass the torch.
“It was a good 30 years,” she said.
Patzer said he appreciates the board and the SRWD staff.
“Thank you for all you do to keep the water flowing. It’s not hard to do is it?” he said with a smile.
In their place, Stutsman Rural Water District members elected Tom Schultz, Jamestown; and Katie Ryan-Anderson, Marion, to the board of directors.
Learn more about the Stutsman Rural Water District at stutsmanruralwater.com
Stutsman Rural Water District Fast Facts:
2000 miles of pipeline
2600 users
4 bulk users
1 water treatment plant (2000 GPM)
12 pumping stations with underground reservoirs
4 above ground water storage tanks and 2 water towers.