When officials in Talladega and St. Clair counties came together to create a water supply that would serve both, it was hailed as an impressive regional project.

Through the years, at every point of its progression toward fruition, it continued to earn accolades.

And rightly so. After all, the Coosa Valley Water Supply District would serve future water needs of Lincoln in Talladega County and Pell City, Odenville and Springville in St. Clair County. It crossed city limit lines and county borders.

But on the eve of taking the next decisive step in the plan -- contracts signed and funding secured for construction -- Lincoln officials say their city will likely pull out of the project, citing an inability to reach agreement with major customer, Honda Manufacturing of Alabama.

While it is disappointing that Lincoln is expected not to be a part of the project its mayor helped create, it is still a plan that is worthy of commendation.

St. Clair County officials will continue with the project minus Lincoln, serve a wide swath of St. Clair County and operate as a water source that can meet needs of the fastest growing county in the state for a long time to come.

It is a far-sighted project that brings these municipalities and the county together for a common good in better serving their constituencies’ future water needs.

And though Lincoln’s presence in the cooperative organization will be missed, the goal its leaders believed in at its inception -- providing a significant source of water for the future -- has not evaporated a bit.