By DEBORAH GERTZ HUSAR

Herald-Whig Staff Writer

PITTSFIELD, Ill. -- The Pittsfield City Council took a key step forward Tuesday on a water project by finalizing the purchase of a site for a booster station.

Aldermen approved a resolution to buy two acres of land, located straight west of Pittsfield, from Robert and Pam Nation for $20,000.

The next step calls for buying a one-acre site, again hopefully west of town, for a treatment plant, economic development consultant Bill McCartney said.

"We're down to one easement to get, and the surveying is under way now," he said. "Once we get that done, we can let bids and hopefully start construction after the first of the year."

Agreements with some of the landowners involved in the project limit construction times to avoid interfering with deer season. "We won't be out there doing any construction during hunting season, Oct. 1-Jan. 1," McCartney said.

The city relies on Lake Pittsfield for its water supply, but with increasing federal rules on surface water sources like the lake and an aging water plant, aldermen favor an alternate water source.

The city decided in August 2006 to pursue an alternate water source on its own, rather than in cooperation with the Pike County Water District, and began looking at funding sources and easements. The estimated $7 million project will bring water from the Mississippi River.

In another water issue, aldermen discussed an existing operation and maintenance agreement and plan tied to flood control structures on Big Blue Creek which feeds into Lake Pittsfield, the city's water source.

Under the agreement, the city maintains the structures, located east of Pittsfield, even though one now is on private land.

"We have to do this every five years. In about two weeks, an engineer is coming to inspect the two structures. After that inspection, if anything needs to be addressed, it will be our responsibility," McCartney said.

In other action, aldermen gave first reading approval to an ordinance annexing Pine Lakes, gave final approval to an ordinance updating the city code and loaned $100,000 from the gas fund to the water fund.

-- dhusar@whig.com/221-3379