By Sara QuamRock County started receiving the benefits of rural water in 1980. Members then paid $1.75 per 1,000 gallons of water, just $1 less than they pay now.Office manager Glenda Schomacker said, "Just think, a 16-ounce bottle of water sells for 79 cents at your local convenience store. That’s $6,320 per 1,000 gallons."Daryl Paulsen said, "I think everybody takes water for granted." Paulsen is not only Rock County Rural Water plant operator and assistant manager, but he he uses the water in his rural Steen home.He is one of many people acknowledging Rural Water’s 25th anniversary with pride this spring. He said it was necessary back then because, depending on location, most rural residents battled either poor quality or poor quantity water.Manager Dan Cook said, "We’re reflecting on the fact that we’ve been here for 25 years and we have 680 customers along with three towns. We pump 214 million gallons per year."The cities of Hills, Steen and Magnolia also use Rural Water.Brad Skattum, livestock producer, said, "I think it’s good, clean water and it’s vitally important to have. Access to wells isn’t what it used to be. Skattum was just re-elected to another term on the Rural Water Board.He said, "When we turn on the faucet, we know it’s there and we can take it for granted."Paulsen tells the story of how he had a well and two cisterns before becoming a Rural Water user. "We bought 1,500 to 1,600 gallons for $16 and we can get 1,000 for $2.75 now," he said."We always had to watch our p’s and q’s and not allow long showers," Paulsen said. "It never failed that when we had company, the cisterns went dry."Gerald Winter has been a long-time advocate of Rock County Rural Water. He was on the Steering Committee and Water Commission, which were responsible for the organization and development of the Rock County Rural Water District. Former state representative Wendell Erickson was also a big part of the project’s start.Others on the boards at that time were Don Reker, Eldon Gradert, Jack Paulson, Henry Walraven, John Klay, Dennis Roning, Bernard Beyenhof, Arlyn Severtson, Ray Donkersloot, John Schoep and Gerald Haak.Winter wrote as part of a dedication June 21, 1980: "In January 1976, about 70 people came to a meeting at the Beaver Creek Community Hall to hear about rural water systems. This meeting eventually led to the creation of the Rock County Rural Water District.Today, as we celebrate the dedication of the newest rural water system in Minnesota, you can look with pride at what you have accomplished. Without you as the individual users, the Rock County Rural Water District would not be a reality.… As a water system user, I would like to thank all who helped make this system possible. As the chairman of the water commission, I especially would like to say ‘well done’ to the steering committee and water commission members for the time and effort you have so willingly invested. …"In 1980, the design of the system allowed for a delivery capacity of 528,000 gallons per day from the system’s four wells.Today, there are 11 wells that pumped their highest volume on July 2, 2002, with 1.122 million gallons of water.Denny Pick is another satisfied customer.He said, "I couldn’t have hogs and cattle with the water I had before."He was a later addition to the system and lives north of Magnolia."I’m happy with everything, from the billing and service to the water pressure. I couldn’t be without it," Pick said.