Canton City Council defends decision to request water rights from Grand Saline

The article from KETK discusses the Canton City Council's efforts to secure water rights from Grand Saline Creek to address the city's growing population and water needs. Due to Van Zandt County's unreliable groundwater, Canton is pursuing surface water alternatives, specifically a new reservoir downstream of its wastewater treatment plant. Mayor Pro Tem Blake Fowler, speaking for Mayor Lou Ann Berry, explained that the city explored purchasing water from Tyler, but the deal was not viable due to the lack of a guaranteed long-term contract. A 2004 study and population growth projections (3.7% annually, potentially increasing Canton's population from 3,713 to 4,453 by 2025) underscore the need for additional water sources.

However, the plan has faced opposition. Grand Saline ISD and local residents, including Superintendent Micah Lewis, argue that the reservoir, which could impact over 140 homes and thousands of acres, would burden taxpayers already strained by recent school bond taxes. Critics, including Van Zandt County Commissioner Mitch Curtis and resident John Borgstedt, question the necessity of the reservoir, suggesting it may be more about tourism than water needs and raising concerns about eminent domain and inadequate compensation for affected homeowners.