Mayor Gary Herbert said he’s ready to take the plunge on securing a future for the city’s most precious resource, water.

Herbert informed the Greensburg Water Board at its monthly meeting Monday he intends to reinvestigate securing sources of water based on surveys performed in 2006.

Herbert said there are three ways to get water: ground, surface or purchase. While he said purchasing water was “the least of my desires,” the option would be explored.

He also has committed to looking into various wells and drilling options explored but never followed through in 2006. A meeting with various well owners is scheduled for Thursday. He noted that will help him to determine how much will be needed to secure wells, giving the land specifications needed when dealing with a wellhead, and what areas are available.

The option of building a larger reservoir will also be investigated. Herbert said his goal was to procure a viable source besides the Flat Rock River to provide the city with water well into the future.

In order to do this investigation he asked two board members to step up and work with him, Water Superintendent Rick Denney and HNTB, to develop these options.

“We need to find a way and measure all the facts. I’d like a couple of board members to volunteer to take part. We are talking about several millions of dollars here,” Herbert said.

The mayor also informed the board a fairly major water project is in the works for the city. Herbert said there have been problems with the sewer system in the Anderson Street area for a long time but they’ve never been addressed. He noted the sewer is about 100 years old and can no longer handle flushes during heavy rain storms. He said the money is there and the problem cannot wait.

HNTB’s Darren Burkhart explained the city will replace the existing system in the area. He noted as well as having an old system, it was discovered a gravity pipe, meant to pull sewage uphill, had been installed backwards at some point, which adds to the problem. He said the city has applied for permits with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management and the Indiana Department of Transportation, since it will effect State Road 46 and U.S. Highway 421 in the city, and Herbert said the work should hopefully be completed during the summer.