Thursday, May 19, 2022

Jackson to Lay Pipe

 The city of Jackson issued the following statement. 

Work crews are are in the beginning phase of installing a massive 48-inch (4 foot diameter) water transmission line to help improve water flow to South Jackson and other neighborhoods in Jackson. The five-mile-long line will significantly increase flow to areas that have experienced low water pressure in the past, most notably during the extreme winter storm system of 2021.

Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba, along with members of his Public Works team and representatives from Neel-Schaffer, commented on the historic infrastructure project at a Thursday morning press conference. 
 

 
“Today is truly an exciting day as we announce efforts to improve water issues in our City, particularly to the residents in South Jackson,” Mayor Lumumba said. “This will improve the service for some of our residents who have suffered inequitably at the hands of our failing water system.” 

Although the project has been on the drawing board for years, Mayor Lumumba proposed the roughly $7.6 million project after the winter storm and after American Rescue Act funds (ARPA) were distributed. Portions of the project will be put in service as they are constructed with the overall project scheduled to be operational later this year. The improvements were designed to allow larger quantities of water to get to the distribution system at the J.H. Fewell Plant. Currently, the water travels through small-sized, older cast iron pipes and for a longer distance.

“I’m very excited for this project,” said Interim City Engineer Robert Lee. “It doesn’t solve everything but it is a major cog in the overall system reliability, redundancy and improvement.” 

The last phase of construction will allow the 48-inch main to run from Interstate 20/Interstate 55 North to Jefferson and Silas Brown streets. This phase will complete the connection from the Fewell plant to Interstate 55 at McDowell Road, with connections at Poplar Street, Monroe Street, High Street, Amite Street, Pearl Street, Rankin Street, McDowell Road and Interstate 55 frontage road. 

“In addition to South Jackson, this will also help Belhaven,” said Hibbett Neel with Neel-Schaffer. “It will really open up that entire area of the City with more water and more pressure. So it is extremely important.” 

The new line will benefit the following neighborhoods and areas:
  • Belhaven
  • Belhaven Heights
  • Eastern portions of downtown
  • South Jackson
  • I-55 south corridor
Mayor Lumumba ended his comments with a promise to continue to pursue infrastructure funds that will enable future projects. 

“I’d like to remind residents that we are in a continuing state of emergency because the systems we have are the systems we have until we replace them,” he said. “Our fight to secure funding in order to improve our drinking water situation continues.” 


38 comments:

Anonymous said...

a 5 mile trunk line installed in 1 year. Not in this state lol .

Anonymous said...

There will be lots of palms to grease to complete this in one year.

Anonymous said...

I see a few things in the press release:

1. If you have to state that 48-inch is 4 feet to your constituents, then we know why the constituents voted in the these clowns.

2. Neel Schaffer is a very capable engineering firm. Who is the actual pipe contractor?

3. Robert Lee as interim city engineer? Good Lord Lumumba. Quit digging the hole deeper.

4. Lumumba talks about the "fight to secure funding." I ain't no genius, but I would start with making everybody pay their water bills. That's the most important source of funding that a utility has.

Anonymous said...

As usual the city blames the water problems on that "extreme winter storm of 2021," but missed the opportunity to blame covid, white flight, gun shows, and Putin.

Frank Griffin said...

And on that positive note, 2:47 went on to make shitposts on half a dozen other blogs.

Anonymous said...

The mayor didn’t do a damn thing to “secure” this funding. The 91 billion in ARPA funding cities got was distributed nationwide on a population basis.

Anonymous said...

Saw the article and comments from that fellow running the city the rest of the way to hell. All I got is HAHAHAHAHAHAAHAH MUAH AHAH HA !

Anonymous said...

"I would like to remind the public to continue to pay their water bills on time and if there's a problem, give us a call and we'll promptly address any issues you're having". Opps, I'm sorry. I drifted off to LaLa Land for a minute.

Anonymous said...

The mayor's malfeasance in virtually all aspects of city government can only be explained by his total incompetence. White folks are simply not responsible and have not been for over 30 years regardless of his claims. He alone is responsible for the failure of the city to collect water/sewerage/trash pick-up fees. I have not received a water bill in years, and neither has my company. Who is and how much did the engineering firm pay for the front man minority contractor to get the pipeline job? Not collecting fees by responsible parties is embezzlement. Period.

Anonymous said...

Someone is lying to someone. You aren’t getting a 5 mile main line installed in a year. Not right now at least.

Anonymous said...

One wonders if they have their applicable permits (storm water)

Anonymous said...

Pipe laying? Is the Dept. of Veteran's (illicit)Affairs involved?

Anonymous said...

Watching Credell today......notice how their tailored suits look even more expensive than BEFORE ARPA money ? Damn Shad, is it not obvious enough for you yet ?

Anonymous said...

WOW...a city putting in a water line. Historic!!

Anonymous said...

They’ll fuck it up. Just watch.

Krusatyr said...

3:12
On what historical basis of efficacy do people of Jackson rely to believe Lil Choke's worthless prognostications?

Currently, MS is finding means to apply funds in a direct way that avoids boy mayor's wastrel, greedy hands.

Sample of Lil Choke's wisdom: "...the systems we have are the systems we have until we replace them".

So why did the tempestuous little emperor pursue so many other stupid expensive projects to waste money on?

Attention Aaron Banks: The mayor we have is the mayor we have until we/you replace him!

Anonymous said...

“we are in a continuing state of emergency “….Understatement of the year.

Anonymous said...

Lumumba must be feeling the pain of all his recent failures to be making this press conference today. This project has been underway for months - the pipe was delivered months ago and has been stored along the old railroad track on Commerce Street and work began in 2021.

It is a needed project; glad to see it getting done. Mayor needed something to pat himself on the back in our "safe city" other than having to deal with the rampant crime and failure to pick up garbage.

Anonymous said...

Maybe we have hit bottom and things are about to get better, thats my prayer!

Anonymous said...

Gotta have water to put in the new water line

Anonymous said...

Great news! Tell the Mayor there is a vacant desk over on President Street in the VA offices - I hear its a great place to lay pipe

Anonymous said...

A press release about doing the very thing they are supposed to do.

Anonymous said...

That’s what she said

Anonymous said...

5:47

"VA office is a great place to lay pipe"
...until one is maid?

Anonymous said...

@3:39 you stole my thunder.

Anonymous said...

48 inches is explained as 4 foot. I was wondering. Watch the scramble at city hall for the project manager position with the brand new Z-71 crew cab.

The Trans-Alaskan Highway, during war-time, was built in less than nine months. Think about that.

Anonymous said...

Breaking News!!! 48 inch water main was turned in to scrap metal!

Anonymous said...

Did Richard's get the pipe contract?

Anonymous said...

5:34 YOU WIN!!! Exactly! Have to have water to fill up the line!!! FYI. The project is about 7,000 feet not 5 miles!

Anonymous said...

There is too much grift built into the culture of Jackson's leadership for this to be done anywhere close to right or on time. Someone's incompetent lackey will get minority subcontract and screw it up because they can't read units like they did with the water meter installs. From the political contract making down to the ditch digging everyone wants to do the least work and the shoddiest job they can do without being arrested or fired. A failed culture can only produce failure.

Anonymous said...

I'm with 5:56.

How utterly humiliating that doing the basic bare minimum of the job you are paid to do, is now worthy of a press release.

But I suppose given his penchant for absolutely ruining even the last (garbage) service that was functional and reliable, it does makes sense.

Right?

Welcome to the finish line, Jackson.

Anonymous said...

Not saying where or how but the cluster fug has already begun. A little bird just chirped ...... Can offer no more at this time.

Anonymous said...

Another chirping bird ....another roadblock......oh my, this is going to be good.

Anonymous said...

As a Jackson resident I call bullshit. This will take years. The water dept. currently has their phones disconnected. I ran into a billing issue, called & emailed them, crickets for days. You can't even get to them through a phone call, just rings into oblivion then d/c's

Anonymous said...

12:56 : Certain things have to happen before the first shovel goes in the ground and NONE of that particular work has even been started. And like you said...when no one answers phones and keeps office doors locked from the public......this is going to be a clusterfug the like no one has ever seen.

Anonymous said...

For all y’all saying they can’t lay 5 miles of pipe in 1 yr, lets peal this back and dive in.
1) There are 8,800 yards in 5 miles
2) If workers actually work 240 days out of 365 days, they’d
only need to average 36.67 yards per day.
3) Surely they can do this.
4) Or, surely not…??

Anonymous said...

Sorry for the metric units, but I’m Canadian eh…I will leave the schedule to others, as I don’t know the ground conditions or how many crews the contractor can put on the job. My issue is the price. Call it $8M for ease. 5 miles is just over 8,000 meters. That puts the installed 48” pipe price at $1,000/m. I wouldn’t be able to get the pipe alone for that price, unless of course the 48” DI pipe with the Betty bread bag PE encasement was free. Is there rock? How many valves, direct bury or in chambers? Connections, Road reinstatement……the list goes on. Not for $8M in my world.

Anonymous said...

Just saw the comment above, that it is actually 7,000 feet and not 5 miles. Bit of a difference. That puts the price at $3,800/meter. That might be a bit high, but pipe price has almost doubled in the last 2 years.


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