Jackson aldermen discuss subdivision's rusty water

Jackson's city administrator said he hopes the city can resolve by the end of the summer rusty water issues that residents say have ruined their clothes and appliances.

In the study session following the board of aldermen meeting Monday night, city officials discussed the results of an investigation by the public works department into reports of rusty water in the Forest Acres subdivision. City workers discovered that an old water line that serves the neighborhood had extensive iron deposits that was discoloring the water.

City administrator Jim Roach said the engineering firm Horner & Shifrin Inc. of St. Louis prepared a report about the water problems based on the city's March 21 and 22 investigation. The firm will be preparing a second report comparing the cost and effectiveness of fixing the problem by either mechanically cleaning the pipes or replacing the water main with larger PVC pipes.

Roach said he thought the most effective and efficient long-term solution would likely be to replace the mains and predicted the work would be "tremendously expensive" for the city and "tremendously disruptive" to residents in the area. Roach said he hoped that the cost analysis will be available by the next board of aldermen meeting so that the city can "fast track" the necessary repairs, aiming for completion by summer's end.

In the meantime, the city is flushing water through a hydrant in the neighborhood to prevent rust from building up.

Scott Masterson of Highland Drive was one of three residents in attendance and briefly spoke to the board to reiterate the need for action. Masterson said he believed the neighborhood would cooperate with whatever was necessary to fix the problem and hoped that the city would begin work as soon as possible.

Other action

• Aldermen decided to change the rule that determines when utility bills are considered overdue. The bills are due on the 20th of the month. Under the new policy, when the due date falls on a weekend or holiday, customers will have until 5 p.m. on the first business day after the 20th to pay.
• El Puerto of Jackson, Missouri LLC, doing business as El Puerto Restaurant at 1815 E. Jackson Blvd., was granted a license to serve beer and wine. Licenses for hard liquor are issued by the state.
• The city also approved a motion to issue a construction change order in the amount of $4,246 to Kiefner Brothers Inc. of Cape Girardeau for the final steps required in the Jackson Fire Station No. 2 Project.
• In the study session following the meeting, Mayor Barbara Lohr said the city would continue to contract with Cape Girardeau Area Magnet, which works to attract business to the area, on a year-by-year basis. On March 20, Alderman David Hitt asked the board to consider extending the city's contract with Magnet for two years so the organization could offer a longer term position to a potential new executive director.

salderman@semissourian.com

388-3648

Pertinent address:

101 Court St., Jackson, MO

Highland Drive, Jackson, MO