LAWTON —Comanche County Commissioners delayed action Monday on the Pecan Valley Water Works Association’s request to organize a water district.
The board voted unanimously to table the issue until the next meeting, following a public hearing on the company’s petition. The delay will give the company and the City of Lawton, which sells water to the company, time to work out a new contract.
A private company, Pecan Valley Water Works provides water and sewer service to the communities of Pecan Valley and Shelter Lakes, located on the west side of Lawton. If the company’s petition is granted, the company would cease to exist and would be replaced by a community-owned, public nonprofit organization known as the Pecan Valley Rural Water District.
The water district would continue providing water and sewer service.
The family that owns the company is not interested in running it, said Jack Outhier, the company’s operator and manager. He said turning the company into a rural water district would benefit the community and would free up public funds for upgrades.
“That’s the reason they’re not seeking to sell the company, but the family is willing to simply deed all of the assets to the rural water district,” Outhier said.
Outhier said a steering committee for the water district is already in place. When the district is up and running, it will have a board of directors and its meetings will be open to the public.