County Secures Extra $200,000 for Horizon Six Water System Overhaul

Efforts to repair the deteriorating water system of a small community east of Lake Havasu City are becoming increasingly costly. Mohave County Supervisor Buster Johnson is now seeking an additional $200,000 to finalize a long-standing project aimed at modernizing the aging infrastructure.

In May 2021, the Mohave County Board of Supervisors allocated approximately $42 million in federal coronavirus relief funding, as per the American Rescue Plan Act. Each supervisor has directed millions of these funds toward local organizations and infrastructure improvements. Johnson’s initiative to overhaul the Horizon Six Improvement District’s water system has emerged as the second-most expensive project under this funding scheme.

This ambitious project entails installing new pressure-reducing valves, designing and constructing waterline replacements, and replacing 12 inoperative fire hydrants within Horizon Six. Initial estimates pegged the project cost at $2.75 million, but Johnson has already committed $3.45 million to these necessary upgrades, which includes $133,770 earmarked as contingency funding.

The Mohave County Board is set to vote next week on Johnson’s request for an additional $200,000 to bolster the project’s contingency budget to $333,770. This increase anticipates unexpected expenses as the project progresses toward completion.

The effort to enhance the water system began on September 7, 2021, following numerous complaints from residents about the dilapidated state of the infrastructure. Concerns escalated over the potential for skyrocketing water bills to finance these essential upgrades.

The situation had reached a critical point, leading the Lake Havasu City Fire Department to terminate a long-standing fire protection agreement with the county due to inadequate water pressure to support modern firefighting operations.

As of this week, progress continues on the Horizon Six Improvement District’s water system upgrade. Notably, the only project to surpass Johnson’s funding request involves an initiative in the 1st Supervisory District, where Supervisor Travis Lingenfelter has asked for $4 million to expand broadband infrastructure for local businesses and residents in the Kingman area.