NIXA, Mo. — The Nixa City Council heard a multi-decade water plan Tuesday that would give the city a permanent allocation of Stockton Lake water if the council approves a sub-allocation contract with the Southwest Missouri Joint Municipal Water Utility Commission.

Assistant Public Works Director Travis Cossi told the council the Army Corps of Engineers approved an allocation of 38,000,000 gallons per day from Stockton Lake and that Nixa’s share would be 1,000,000 gallons per day secured through a joint municipal utility corporation (JMUC). “This brings us a long ways towards our, future needed goal,” Cossi said during the presentation.

The change matters because the allocation insures a long-term surface-water supply for a fast-growing region. Cossi recounted more than two decades of regional study and planning through a 16-county effort called Tri State Water and said nine entities, including Nixa, split the allocation based on population and projected need.

Under the agreement described to council, Nixa would finance its share with a State Revolving Fund (SRF) loan through the Missouri Department of Natural Resources; staff estimated an annual payment of just over $53,000 spread over 30 years. “DNR has graciously given us a reduced rate and also kicked in some money to afford some of the upfront cost,” Cossi said, contrasting the lower figure with an earlier estimate near $175,000 per year. At the end of the 30-year loan period, the city would own the 1,000,000-gallon-per-day allocation but would remain responsible in perpetuity for a portion of operations and maintenance; Cossi said Nixa’s perpetual O&M share is estimated at $10,655 per year.

Council members asked for specifics about delivery and infrastructure. Cossi said the purchase contract covers only the water allocation; separate planning and construction will determine how to move the water from Stockton Lake to the region. He said the likely route would use existing Springfield infrastructure—Stockton Lake water currently moves into Fellows Lake and Springfield had purchased easements in the 1990s that could host additional piping. From Springfield, the plan would route a main that splits to serve the Springfield metro, Nixa and Ozark, with a separate spur heading west toward Joplin and Carthage.

Cossi noted some details in the final Corps of Engineers contract (the exact acre-feet and execution date) could vary by about 1 percent after a final water accounting; staff asked the council to authorize the city administrator to sign a sub-allocation contract substantially similar to the version presented.

The council did not take a final vote on the sub-allocation during the meeting; the item was presented for first reading and public hearing. Cossi said engineering and routing work will begin now that the allocation is in hand and that the initiative is “phase 1” of a longer regional implementation effort.