Cape Girardeau’s water system is facing significant challenges after a crucial ballot measure, designed to fund necessary water infrastructure improvements, was voted down. The outcome leaves the city's ability to address future water needs and improve its aging infrastructure uncertain. While some short-term solutions are in place, the long-term future remains in question.
The ballot measure was intended to fund a major expansion of the water treatment plant and improvements to the city's water distribution system. However, the vote did not pass, and JJ Ridings, the local manager for Alliance Water Resources, which operates the city’s water system, explained the implications of the decision. “If the money is not there, there’s not a whole lot we can do,” Ridings said. “There were a couple of projects, the expansion... (being one of them) was one of the big parts of water facility plant improvements.”
Ridings mentioned that some smaller projects, such as addressing a hydraulic bottleneck in the filter gallery and upgrading the lime feed system, would go forward. “That will get us maybe another 500,000 gallons a day, but will get us nowhere near that 11 million gallons that we’re needing to plan for the future,” he said. While these projects could help meet current demand for the next few years, they are insufficient for the city's long-term needs, especially as the population grows and more businesses look to the city.
Cape Girardeau is already exceeding projections for water usage, with peak demand hitting 9 million gallons per day earlier than expected. “We weren’t supposed to hit a day that had a peak usage of 9 million gallons until 2040, and we hit that 4 or 5 times this year already,” Ridings explained. He noted that this increased usage, especially in dry years when irrigation demands rise, is putting pressure on the city's water system. “We’re already at the usage of what wasn’t expected until 2040. That’s kind of scary going forward.”
The failure of the ballot measure has also left the city ineligible for much-needed federal grant funding. Ridings shared that Cape Girardeau’s water rates are too low to qualify for these grants, which require a 1.0 affordability index. “We cannot qualify for any more grants...we can’t get any government or any grant funding because our rates are too low,” he said. “You gotta get a 1.0 affordability index before you qualify for a lot of grants.”
This leaves the city with limited options for funding water infrastructure improvements. According to Ridings, the only way to move forward is by raising water rates. “There’s really- not a way that I see without raising rates,” Ridings said. “The longer you wait, the more expensive it’s going to end up being.”
In the meantime, Ridings and the Alliance Water team are committed to educating the public about the urgency of the situation. “I’m going to keep doing what I’ve been doing, willing to talk to whoever, whenever,” he said, noting that even before the vote, many residents were unaware of the water system's challenges. “I talked around to many people that still didn’t know anything about the water issue,” he said. “They turn on the water faucet, they have water, so why would they vote to raise their bill?”
Part of the issue, Ridings believes, is that people don’t see the problem because they don’t experience water-related disruptions on a daily basis. However, frequent water main breaks are an ongoing issue in the city. Ridings explained that many of these breaks go unnoticed because repairs are often made without a boil water advisory. “We’ve had at least 2 this week...and people never hear about them because normally we can repair them." he said.
The older water distribution system, with its outdated cast iron pipes, is a major part of the problem. “The distribution system was the biggest part of what the funding was needed for,” Ridings said, explaining that much of the funding from the measure would have gone toward replacing these old pipes. Newer materials like HDPE pipes would be much more durable, reducing maintenance issues and improving water quality. “With the HDPE piping, it’s not an issue anymore,” Ridings said. “You won’t get discolored water.”
Despite the setback, Ridings remains optimistic that future opportunities to address the problem will arise. He plans to continue engaging with the public through presentations, facility tours, and other outreach efforts. “I’ll give tours, I’ll talk to anyone who will listen,” he said. “The more people are talking about it, realizing how important it is, the better.”
Looking ahead, Ridings is uncertain about when the next ballot initiative might appear. While he heard rumors that it could be as early as April 2026, he emphasized that this timeline is speculative. “That’s just hearsay,” he said. “I really don’t know.” Regardless of the timeline, Ridings believes continued public awareness and engagement are key to securing the necessary funding in the future.
In the meantime, Cape Girardeau's water system will continue to rely on short-term fixes. While these efforts will help, Ridings has made it clear that the city faces serious challenges.
