Irrigation ban in effect in Ridgeland

RIDGELAND — City officials have instituted an irrigation ban for the area surrounding the Bridgewater Subdivision after a water well pump failure last week, Mayor Gene F. McGee said.

The pump, located off Livingston Road near the intersection of Walter Payton Lane on the west side of town, failed early last week and McGee signed an executive order on Thursday, Aug. 1, ordering that all irrigation systems in that area be turned off to preserve access to fresh drinking water in the city.

“This was unexpected,” McGee said. “The well had been doing fine and was supposed to have a number of more years of life.”

The order states the use of such systems could cause a complete loss of water pressure that would result in “weeks of boil water notices.”

“The residents have been very cooperative at meeting our needs,” McGee said. “Our Public Works Department has done a good job of getting information out to our water customers and making sure every still has good quality drinking water.”

The city board ratified the mayor’s executive order at their regularly scheudled Aldermen meeting at Ridgeland City Hall on Tuesday, August 6, unanimously on the consent agenda.

Aldermen also approved emergency purchases for the pump and motor at the western water well in. the amount of $225,050 and $33,795 for a replacement variable frequency drive.

The city has given residents in that area a time frame of between six and eight weeks to get the well fixed. A memo from city engineer Chris Bryson says some of the material could take as long as four weeks to come in and the installation process could be as long as four weeks as well.

McGee said he hoped they could have the western water well repaired before then.

“We are hoping to have the equipment in the next couple of weeks,” McGee said.