Over extended

Cheney knows more about water woes than most small communities, and the beginning of 2019 is shaping up to be more of the same. State records indicated that the city’s water system is over-connected by more than 600 connections, causing the state Department of Health (DOH) to place Cheney in a “blue” category, designating the city’s system as “not adequate for growth.”

In the blue

Water permits from the state Department of Health’s Office of Drinking Water are color-coded based on the permitted entity’s compliance with state regulations. A green system is substantially in compliance, while yel...