SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — The Lewis & Clark Regional Water System’s board is voting Thursday on whether to borrow $16 million from members to extend the system to the Minnesota city of Luverne. But it might be a tough sell.

Sioux Falls’ representative on the board will vote no, and that city’s representative also will vote against the plan.

The water system was supposed to be distributing potable Missouri River water to 20 member communities in South Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa by 2005, but reductions in federal funding have slowed the project.

Nine of the 20 members still are without service, even though all members and the three states have prepaid their share of the cost. Now they’re being asked to pay more.