(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Board of Supervisors, Tuesday morning, unanimously approved increases the County Board of Health had approved earlier, with regard to septic system, time to transfer and water well, permits. Jotham Arber, with Cass/Guthrie Environmental Health, said the fee schedule has not changed in 10-years, until now.

He says the County wasn’t breaking even, based on what the Sanitarian was billing and what the homeowner was paying for those permits.

The new rates ($225 for Septic systems; $300 for title transfer, & $175 for Water Well permits) will take effect July 1, 2022. The changes were approved by the Cass County Board of Health, and needed approval of the Supervisors before it goes into effect on July 1st.

The Supervisors also heard from Mick Allen, representing the Atlantic Golf and Country Club. He asked the Board to approve a water usage permit for irrigation, that would allow them to pump water out of the Nishnabotna River. A line on a map the Supervisors received shows the proposed pipeline that would be used, to draw water.

Allen says about five-or six-years ago, they spent about $55,000 to put four wells in. Due to the drought, those wells have gone dry.

He says they’re projecting that on a year with little-to-no rain, in extreme conditions, they would have to pull between 100-to 200,000 gallons out of the river, on a daily basis. After some discussion, the Board approved the request, pending approval and receipt of permits from the Iowa DNR.