The Kennewick and Columbia irrigation districts have decided to settle a disagreement about repayment from incorrect water bills out of court.
The Kennewick Irrigation District board unanimously approved a settlement Monday related to water the Columbia Irrigation District carries on its system for KID.
The Columbia Irrigation District board already had unanimously approved the settlement, which includes CID withdrawing a lawsuit it filed in Benton County Superior Court.
Joel Teeley, CID's general manager and secretary of the board, said the board decided to drop the lawsuit as a gesture of goodwill. There have been leadership changes, including two new commissioners, he said.
"We'd like to put everything in the past and start fresh," he said.
KID's water advisory committee discovered that the bill KID pays CID for carrying water to four KID pressurized service areas was for less acreage than was served, said Chuck Freeman, KID manager. CID carries water for KID under a 1931 agreement.
Under the approved settlement agreement, KID will pay CID half of the just over $13,400 it was undercharged for three years, Freeman said. That will be just over $6,700.
KID already had reimbursed CID for three full years, he said.
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