"I need water," Superintendent Chris Gaines told school board members last week. When water and sewer will be available to the new facility currently under construction off Cotton Road just west of Foristell remains an unknown. The district's struggles with the project became public last week when Gaines informed the school board about the recent troubles in dealing with land developers and Public Water Supply District No. 2 of St. Charles County. Should more delays occur, it could affect the opening of the new school, which is slated to be a kindergarten and first-grade center for the beginning of the 2009-10 school year in August. Gaines, however, stressed that the most recent time frame forwarded to the district should not affect the opening of the facility if water and sewer is connected by June. "We wish it was done months ago and so does everybody else," Gaines said. "It's been a thorn in everybody's side. It's been going on way too long." The district built the new facility on land donated by Foristell Land Investment, with an agreement the land developer also would supply water and sewer to the school building from the treatment plant. The water district operates the treatment plant located about 2,500 feet north of the school. According to Gaines, the school district was under the assumption that water and sewer lines were already connected between a water tower located on Schulze Road and the treatment plant. However, the district has since learned no lines have yet been laid anywhere on the development around the school nor is the water tower hooked up to any lines. "We're actually way behind," Gaines said. "When you look at it in context, these parties knew this school was going to be built 26 months ago." Gaines said part of the holdup is with the emergence of a second developer in the area between the water tower and the treatment plant. An agreement couldn't be made between Cotton Road Development and the water district, so now water and sewer lines will be installed elsewhere. Tim Geraghty, water district manager, said on Monday water is needed to help serve other areas around Foristell so they decided to bypass the land owned by Cotton Road Development and instead lay lines toward Dietrich Crossing. From there, lines would then be connected to the treatment plant. "Now we want to get it done by the start of the summer," Geraghty told The Record. But before the lines can be dug, the water district must obtain a permit to operate the treatment plant and Foristell Land Investment needs a construction permit from the Department of Natural Resources before it can start laying sewer lines. "Now we're in an unknown time line in this," Gaines acknowledged. Water is currently needed to run the building's heaters. Also, as the heat helps get rid of the humidity, other details such as painting and laying floor tile could be completed. As for moving teacher supplies into the building, that won't occur until July. When School Board President Austin Jones questioned Gaines about the possibility of the school's opening being delayed, Gaines responded, "If we get water to Dietrich Crossing on an April time frame, opening the building in August will not be a problem at all. If it was June, we would be pushing it." Jones also is concerned the district could incur additional expenses in the project should it be further delayed. "From that perspective, I think it's very important that things get done."