Grant improves Leland water systems
After several years of developing plans and getting construction underway, the City of Leland’s new water well and storage tank is nearly finished being built.
“By the end of July, we ought to be done,” said Leland Mayor Kenny Thomas, noting the project, in total, cost about $1.5 million.
Of that $1.5 million, which includes a new water well, a 250,000-gallon above-ground storage tank and distribution system improvements, the City of Leland was only required to pay about $200,000 thanks to grants they received through efforts by South Delta Planning & Development District.
In October 2017, the city was awarded a $300,000 grant and in November 2016, the board approved a resolution adopting a $1 million Delta Regional Authority grant for water system improvements.
That million-dollar grant stemmed from when U.S. Sens. Thad Cochran and Roger Wicker in October 2016 announced $3.38 million in DRA grants to be distributed throughout the state that will aid projects ranging from levee construction and water system improvements to an Amtrak platform and job training.
Once the project is officially completed, Thomas said city residents can expect to see cleaner water with no cost increase to their water bills.
Although the water is not expected to be crystal clear, Thomas said he has strong hopes it will look better than what local residents are accustomed to seeing.
“At the end of the day, we really don’t know what it’s going to look like until after we get going … we can chlorinate it as strong as we can as long as it doesn’t cause a health issue with people in their homes,” he said. “The water that was tested is safe to drink, it’s good water.”
The new tank is located near the former Pepsi-Cola factory off of U.S. 61 North at the cloverleaf, and the pipes make one large circle throughout the city.
“It’s not going to be just going one way, it’s going to circulate and that’s going to help a whole lot when it circulates,” Thomas said.
Construction work
Board members in August 2018 approved paying nearly $80,000 to Indianola-based Gardner Engineering P.A. for the design and inspection of the new water well and tank.
Gardner Engineering workers spent several days searching for a good place to drill water for the new water well, which ended up being just north of the Highway 61 and 82 overpass intersection.
There were three general contractors who worked on the project, Thomas said.
The well contractor, who completed the drilling, was completed by Cleveland-based Mid South Water LLC. The water line extension work was done by Delta Constructors out of Jackson, and the tank constructor was Caldwell Tanks from Kentucky.
Part of the job for Caldwell Tanks was painting the tank, which includes Kermit the Frog.
In an August 2017 Leland Board meeting, it was Alderman Andy Petro who suggested having Kermit the Frog painted on the elevated water tank.
For motorists traveling along U.S. 61, Kermit’s face and hands appear to be peering out of the white tank, with the words, “Birthplace of Kermit the Frog” and “Welcome to Leland” on each side of his face.
“If it weren’t for Andy, Kermit wouldn’t be up there. The rest of us didn’t think nothing about it, but it gives it a real nice touch,” Thomas said.
At this point, Thomas said the next task that needs to be completed is installing a generator and constructing a small concrete building to hold various items, such as the chlorination system, phosphate and fluoride, near the tank.
“If the electricity goes off out there, it’ll automatically kick in. We won’t have to hook up the tractor because right now we have to hook a tractor up when we lose electricity to the well downtown,” he said.
This project, Thomas said, is something the City of Leland has needed done for 30 years.
“I am so glad we are just about through with this, it’s been a big project. We’re very, very blessed to get the money and able to put this together. It was a blessing to do this and get us better drinking water. Knowing that we’re going to be OK as far as having water for years to come out of this well without any problems.”
