Saltillo to switch water source from well water to surface water

SALTILLO, Miss. (WCBI) – One Northeast Mississippi city will soon switch its water source, after years of complaints about brown water from residents.

Nearly two years ago, Saltillo put all of its customers on well water.

Before that, the city water supply had been split. Not long after the switch, customers on the west side of town began complaining about dirty and smelly water.

After many meetings and several attempts to flush the system to remove sediment in the water, and an independent study on the issue, aldermen voted to put the entire city on river water.

Alderman Copey Grantham said the switch will benefit everyone.

“The benefits are, you will always have good, quality water, another benefit is it gives us max capacity, so Saltillo will be able to grow into the future,” said Grantham.

Studies found the well water system was limited when it came to accommodating future growth.

“If we were looking to a large manufacturing business, or a housing industry, come in, 250 plus homes, we would not have enough adequate water,” Grantham said.

The mechanics of the switch will take place at a meter pit.

It starts with prep work Monday and then the actual valves will be turned Tuesday morning, switching the entire city from well water to river water.

“Once we introduce surface water into our system, there will be numerous changes, we do know it will start removing deposits of iron and magnese in our system, once it removes the deposits , it will come out in the system. Our customers will see it, it will be brown, probably oily and odor to go along with it,” said Mike Jackson, water operator for the city of Saltillo.

But after those deposits of iron and manganese are gone, Jackson said the water should be clear for all customers on the system.

Saltillo will purchase all of its water from the Northeast Mississippi Regional Water Supply District.