WILSONVILLE &045;&045; Mayor Rosemary Liveoak was recently allotted $1.6 million

by the city council to solve water supply issues, before a combination of the town&8217;s increasing population and a recent statewide drought dries up the town&8217;s main water supply.

Liveoak said she has been asked whether or not the well&8217;s supply could run out in the next week, and the most accurate answer that she is able to give is, &8220;I don&8217;t know.&8221;

She said the city has been aware of a potential shortage for more than 10 years and have been working on the solution since 1996.

Money was budgeted for a solution to combine the best aspects of five plans proposed to the city council.

Liveoak said the solution they came to will solve the problem as quickly as possible and also create a sustainable future for their water supply.

The funds call for a new water tower to be put in place, which would create a new reservoir for the town, and 8-inch piping that will channel water from the nearby Columbiana Water Works.

The final details of the plan are still under negotiation, and Liveoak said she was planning on meeting with officials from Columbiana Water Works this week.

Currently the city has a contract with Bethel Water System to supply its residents enough water to give their well a cut-off period, allowing it time to replenish its supply.

More than 20 attempts to find a new well site have yet to yield a ground-source with enough clean water to satisfy the 300,000 to 350,000 gallons per day the city requires