The Newton County Board of Commissioners recently approved a $21 million state loan to build Bear Creek Reservoir and the associated dam.

Work won't begin until the reservoir project gets the needed environmental permits, which County Attorney Tommy Craig tells the county are close but still may be a while coming.

In Friday's edition, Editor Gabriel Khouli penned the most comprehensive look in a while at how much water Newton County currently has, which will directly affect the need for Bear Creek. More information is needed, and we'll continue to report out details in an effort to help answer questions being raised in the community about whether a new reservoir is really needed anytime soon.

While some of the more advanced technical questions will be difficult to answer conclusively, one thing we know for sure is that man cannot survive without water.

Ensuring that there will be an abundant supply of water for our future and our children's future should continue to be number a top priority for elected and community leaders alike.