AUBURN – Jane Andrew continued her opposition to expanding Auburn’s wellhead protection ordinance to include surface water.

Andrew reviewed the state Department of Natural Resources order of denial regarding the Auburn Board of Public Work’s application to appropriate 40 cfs of natural flow of the Little Nemaha River.

Auburn contends that its drinking water comes for a wellfield on an aquifer along the Little Nemaha River and the source of that water includes surface and groundwater contributions from the Little Nemaha River.

The DNR denial said the board of public works use of well 7 to show that 40 cfs on the river is necessary is a flaw premise.

Andrew told city commissioners that the board overstepped its authority in the application to appropriate flows of the river in 2018 and may be once again overstepping its authority by taking surface water rights away from 420 landowners outside of the city limits.

She suggests the city council wait for results from an airborne electromagnetic survey to be conducted in July.

The city council has tabled the issue.