What's a reliable, long-term source of water worth? The Rapid City Council figures at least $114 million.

On Monday, council members accepted a plan to build two water treatment plants and upgrade it's water system over the next decade. The projects come with an anticipated price tag of $114 million. It's an expensive plan and a necessary project.

We don't like to see the people of Rapid City burdened with an increase in fees or taxes. Too often at the local, state and national levels, we've seen tax increases or fees implemented before serious thought is given to cutbacks or cutting the fat from weighty programs.

But in this case, the council's move is backed by a two-year study and hours of work by the city's water advocacy task force; it appears to be a sound, forward-thinking plan.

Water will drive this area's future. While most people's concern with water starts and stops at the tap, city leaders are continually considering ways to get water to the developing areas around the city and new businesses that are driving the community's economic development.

With that said, we'd expect city leaders to aggressively pursue any and all funding sources available for these projects. Our Congressional delegation should also be actively working on project funding. It's important to remember that what city leaders and our congressional delegation do or don't do directly impacts the pocketbooks of a significant portion of the population of South Dakota. And everyone knows that, today, people's pocketbooks can't take much more of a hit.

The only population center with more people is the Sioux Falls area where development and growth are rampant - and they have water problems of their own.

In Sioux Falls, the need for water is great. The Lewis and Clark regional water system pipeline is in the works, but even that necessary project has been stop and go.

Last week, a Senate spending bill that would provide $30 million to the pipeline project cleared a subcommittee. That would only be a portion of the funding needed, however, and city leaders there are working through the same funding puzzle that will soon face Rapid City.

For Rapid City, meeting future water needs will be expensive but it is a price that has to be paid. Mayor Alan Hanks made it very clear that, while the city will pursue all funding options available, it's still very likely going to result in higher water rates for city customers. Do we like that? No. Do we need to hear that? Yes, the sooner the better.

There has been years of work on the water plan for Rapid City's future and the bottom line is simple: Growing cities need water to continue developing both economically and socially. Providing clean water costs money, and that's the price the people have to pay.