The Springfield City Council discussed possible steps to gain more water and sewer capacity for the city’s service area at its meeting Tuesday night.

Phillip Heidt asked the council when he could expect to be informed about 63 water and sewer taps needed for a development he is involved in.

“Mr. Mayor, this property is in our service delivery area, but not in the city limits,” Councilman Dennis Webb said. “We have been going over our capacity the last couple of weeks with water.”

Webb told the council with the warmer weather and drought conditions, more people are using water to irrigate.

This would be water that would be coming out of the Springfield system, not the system south that we actually have some water capacity on,” Webb said.

Webb said at this time the city is “bumping the top” with water and sewer at the Springfield system, and he would advise against issuing additional water and sewer taps until capacity has become available.

“We have two permits for 400,000,” Mayor Barton Alderman said. “That doesn’t mean they will allow us to pump 700,000 from up here and 100,000 from down there.”

Heidt asked the council if there is a plan to link the two systems.

“We have a long range plan where we are talking about tying the two together,” Webb said.

Webb said the city cannot provide water it does not have.

“We can’t go over capacity. The fines would be enormous,” Webb said.

Councilman Charles Hinely asked if the site would be served if it were annexed into the city.

“We have the water — it’s just in the wrong place,” Hinely said.

Webb said one request the city plans to discuss with the EPD is to transfer water from the southern system to the Springfield system.

Webb said with regards to sewer, the level one site test has been completed where the city would like to have a spray field, and the results should be back shortly.

He said if EPD approves the spray field, the city would need to increase the capacity at the sewer plant, and that there have already been steps taken toward that goal. He also said EPD will not approve permits for more water unless the city can show they have the ability to properly dispose of the extra waste water.

Alderman informed the council there will be a public hearing regarding the comprehensive plan tonight at 6:30. There will also be a public hearing on Tuesday at 7 p.m. regarding the creation of the historic preservation ordinance.