The city of Missoula has appealed the $88.6 million value placed on the city's drinking water system.

NBC Montana reports the city filed the appeal Thursday, challenging the decision made by a panel of commissioners in November.

The document provided no further reasoning and city officials withheld comment until Friday.

Water commissioners had been provided benchmark values of $45 million and $142 million before settling on the $88.6 million figure for Mountain Water Co. Their decision followed a court fight with the Carlyle Group, the water system's private owner.

Both parties are expected to appear in court Friday for a pretrial jury hearing. The trial is expected to last through Jan. 11.

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