Hattiesburg, Mississippi – On Thursday morning, Mayor Toby Barker was joined by Water & Sewer Director Alan Howe, members of the City Council and employees at Water Plant #1 to announce a 5 out of 5 rating from the Mississippi Department of Health during its annual inspection of the City’s drinking water supply.
“Almost two years ago, we received a less than desirable score with a 4 out of 5. Even though the water was safe to drink, there were secondary levels of iron that were too high. This excess of iron was primarily due to some needed maintenance at our water plants. In 2018, our score jumped to 4.7 out of 5, and while the technical score was perfect, points were deducted because of the city’s lack of updated audits,” said Barker. “However, with updated audits in hand, the Department of Health made their annual check. And today, I am pleased to announce that the City of Hattiesburg scored a perfect 5 out of 5 on its annual drinking water inspection.”
This is the first perfect score received in many years, and the second year for the department to receive a perfect technical score.
“I could not be prouder than I am right now of the team we have at the Water Department,” said Howe. “This annual report rates our overall capacity through technical work, record keeping and budgets/billing. And a perfect score – 5 out of 5 – is proof that our plant managers, crews and staff continue to raise the bar for providing drinking water to the citizen of Hattiesburg.”
In addition to this score, the Department of Health gave guidance on suggested maintenance going forward, which will help the City preserve the perfect score for future years.
Barker added, “Today we tell you with confidence that Hattiesburg’s source water is good, and we remain steadfast in our commitment to eliminating brown water and ensuring quality infrastructure for all neighborhoods.”
Download the full report: MSDH Drinking Water Inspection 5.0
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