Town officials say the water is safe to drink
The Jay Council Monday night discussed the immediate and long-term plans of flushing, preventing and reconditioning or replacing the cast iron pipes to resolve the dirty water problem in Jay.
The town has been flushing the lines over the last four months when sediment was found, but the water has remained discolored.
In an official release, the town of Joy outlined its multi-layered plan to resolve the issue. The first step is to hire a flushing contractor to systematically flush the lines, beginning Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2018. This flushing will take place in the overnight hours to inconvenience residents the least.
The next step involves more thorough cleaning through other procedures to prevent recurrence.
The long-term solution involves a plan to recondition or replace the cast-iron pipes used to distribute water. The town is working with state of Florida officials to find sources to fund the long-term capital project.
According to the letter, although the water is discolored, it does not pose a threat to residents. Monthly test results are in compliance with Florida Department of Environmental Protection guidelines and show no chloroform or e coli bacteria in the samples.
“We are aware of the problem and we are doing everything we can to correct it,” said Councilman Wayne Godwin. “We are looking at all options and we hope to have something in place in the next month to fix the problem long term. It will take time, money and patience.”
The town meets with engineers and consultants to discuss projects on Wednesday mornings. During yesterday's meeting, Eric Seib reported that extensive flushing will begin next Tuesday, Feb. 13, as planned.
The next Jay Council meeting will be at 6 p.m., Monday, Feb. 19.
