The public packed a hearing Tuesday on a plan that would pipe drinkable water to a 400-square-mile area where many residents rely on wells or trucked-in water. The proposal, which voters would have to approve, is to create the La Plata Archuleta Water District. Residents of the district would pay a special tax to fund the construction of water-treatment facilities and pipelines that would supply dependable water to rural southeast La Plata County. The project, at an estimated cost of $85 million, also would cover a corner of southwest Archuleta County. Inclusion in the district would be voluntary; so far, almost 670 residents have asked to be excluded.

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