Cape, Jackson water-line connection complete

Workers laid the final piping connecting the Cape Girardeau and Jackson water systems Wednesday, giving one city access to the other's water supply in the event of drought, damage or contamination.

Most of the project's cost was covered by a $66,000 grant from the State Emergency Management Agency. Alliance Water Resources supplied the equipment, and the Jackson public works department supplied most of the labor for the project. Laying the piping took one week to complete.

Officials said the May 6, 2003, tornado that struck Jackson was a wake-up call on the area's need for natural disaster preparedness.

"We sort of recognized how vulnerable our infrastructure is to a disaster like storms or fire," said Jackson public works director Rodney Bollinger. "This gives us one way to give each other a helping hand. We hope that it never gets used."

The vault for the activation valve, near Center Junction, is below ground, protected by one-foot-thick concrete walls. The system can pump more than 1.5 million gallons of water daily.

"Planning agencies look for as much interoperability and redundancies in systems as possible. This is not a cure-all by any means, but it is a mitigation device," said Kevin Priester of Alliance.

Officials said the 4,500 feet of 8-inch piping are 42 inches below ground. The piping would be no more resistant to earthquakes than other places in the city.

Discussions are still underway on the procedure to activate the system.

Priester said he does not anticipate the valve being used exclusively for emergencies. He cited a water main break in Cape Girardeau last year when several hundred homes were without water and would have benefited from access to Jackson's supply.

tgreaney@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 245