Natchez aldermen seek more alerts for city water consumers in storm’s aftermath

NATCHEZ, Miss. –  The mayor and aldermen commended the Natchez Water Works for its quick response getting the system pumped back up after Monday’s lightning storm damaged the water treatment plant.

“I think they responded really well,” Alderman Curtis Moroney said as he also commended other essential service agencies and workers activated by two consecutive nights of Natchez storms that downed trees and outed electricity Monday and Tuesday.

However – as the city remained in a “precautionary boil water” advisory Tuesday evening– aldermen agreed to ask the city’s water operator to consider expanding its modes of communications with customers: establish a phone text-messaging option to provide them service alerts.

The NWW does issue notices on its website and Facebook page and informs the news media, but some residents aren’t tuned into such sources, said Alderman Sarah Carter Smith. Sending texts to NWW subscribers would be another option. Meeting Tuesday, the Board of Aldermen voted to ask NWW officials to look into this.

The city’s water plant near Morgantown Road was hit by lightning early Memorial Day, briefly diminishing water flow for many Natchez residents. While the water pressure was quickly revived Monday, the Mississippi State Department of Health must conduct tests to ensure the water is safe to drink, brush teeth, wash dishes, clean fruit and vegetables without first boiling.

Individual water systems issue “precautionary” boil-water alerts when water pressure is lost, according to information posted on MSDH’s website. Water systems are responsible for notifying their customers directly using whatever means necessary when such a self-imposed boil-water alert is issued.

When water testing by the MSDH Public Health Laboratory indicates problems related to water quality, MSDH immediately sends a “state-issued” boil-water alert to the public via press release and the agency’s website. The local water system is again responsible for notifying customers directly.

In addition to posting state-issued alerts, MSDH will issue self-imposed alerts if properly notified by local water system officials. MSDH will issue press releases to radio, television and newspaper outlets in the affected area to supplement the public notification efforts of the local water system.

The Natchez Water Works is a semiautonomous branch of city government that’s overseen by a board of commissioners appointed by Natchez aldermen, who also decide how much to charge customers as recommended by NWW officials. “Other than that, the Natchez Water Works runs its own operations,” said Mayor Dan Gibson.