Some Jackson residents to get water meter upgrades

Jackson city workers will begin installing pressure-reducing valves at area residences this month, a move necessary because Jackson's water upgrades provided pressure that exceeded acceptable household levels.

Jackson residents complained for years about low-water pressure, but a $1.3-million investment in water system improvements, including a new well and additional pumps, has increased water flows and pressure in the community.

Residents are already experiencing a slight increase in pressure and can expect more. But while the projects fixed one problem, they created another.

The amount of pressure generated by the system is going to be too high for about 1,000 Jackson residences where the water pressure is highest.

"It increases the likelihood or possibility that a water line could burst or the refrigerator water tube for the ice maker could blow off or blow up," said Rodney Bollinger, the city's public works director.

To sidestep that possible problem, he said the city has not cranked up the new service pump to its full potential.

Bollinger said the solution is to add pressure-reducing valves to residences and businesses so the water coming from the city is brought down to an acceptable level of about 80 pounds per square inch.

"That's where people like it," Bollinger said. "That's where you have a good flow in the shower or out of the sink. It's just what you normally would expect out of your faucets and your shower."

The pressure-reducing pumps will be added at no cost to home and business owners. They will only be required to allow the city to install the new meter pit and the pressure-reducing valve in the front yard. Bollinger said that should only take a few hours.

Those valve installations will start near the end of this month and continue over the next 10 years.

The increase in pressure is good news for firefighters.

"There was a need to do that so you not only keep the water supply to the people that were here for a long time but also be able to supply water needed out in the new subdivisions," fire chief Brad Golden said.

Bollinger said the low-lying areas in the city will be the first to get the new meters and pressure-reducing valves.

While working on the improvements, Bollinger said the city also realized the older water meters were not operating properly. The city has decided to install automatic meter readers that will transmit the numbers directly to city hall through the electric distribution system.

The new meter readers are more precise, Bollinger said.

None of the present meter readers who go to houses every month will lose their job, he said. Those employees are already doing other work during the rest of the month anyway, he said.

The pump and the supply well were the final two projects funded by a $10.5 million bond voters approved in 1997.