Edmond City Council rejects Logan County Rural Water agreement for wastewater management

In a 4-1 vote last month, the Edmond City Council denied a proposed wastewater treatment agreement with Logan County Rural Water District 1 (LCRWD1) following concerns raised by The Edmond Alliance about incentivizing development outside city limits, potentially decreasing sales tax revenue. Mayor Darrell Davis was the lone vote in favor of the agreement.

NonDoc, a nonprofit news organization, first reported on the council meeting.

Currently, the unincorporated areas of Logan County, do not have municipal sewer infrastructure and rely on alternative methods such as septic systems, or lagoons, for wastewater management.

The agreement would have allowed the Edmond Public Works Authority (EPWA) to process additional wastewater from residents outside of Edmond, generating an estimated $2.5 million to $5 million annually. EPWA Director of Water Resources Kris Neifing argued that the revenue could have mitigated the impact of current and future bills for Edmond residents. However, The Edmond Alliance, a social welfare group, showed concerns, fearing it would spur development in Logan County, where Edmond cannot collect sales tax.

Real estate developer Derek Turner voiced concerns about incentivizing development outside city limits. “All we’re doing is simply incentivizing financially another group of people outside of our community to take our sales tax dollars,” he said.

If approved, LCRWD1 would have built a wastewater collection system to connect with EPWA’s system. With the proposal rejected, LCRWD1 plans to pursue permits for multiple package plants, according to Neifing.

During the public hearing, Turner questioned the projected revenue increase, and Josh Moore, a homebuilder and former Edmond city councilman, expressed concerns about the agreement disadvantaging Edmond developers. “It just doesn’t make sense to me,” Moore stated, highlighting the differing requirements for developers inside and outside Edmond.

Davis acknowledged sales tax leakage to Oklahoma City but suggested that northern development could still benefit Edmond. Ward 2 Councilman Barry Moore, who ultimately voted against the proposal, expressed concerns about potential retail development harming Edmond’s economy.