Construction time nearing for water and sewer to industrial park

By By Fredie Carmichael / staff writer
Dec. 17, 2003
City officials say construction could begin in late March on the installation of the long-awaited water and sewer lines and a 500,000-gallon water tank to serve the Interstate 20/59 industrial park.
Local economic developers have said the infrastructure is critical to luring potential automotive suppliers to the industrial park.
Meridian Mayor John Robert Smith said the city will advertise for construction bids for the water tank next month.
The news came more than a year after a federal economic development official announced a $1.5 million grant to help finance the water and sewer infrastructure at the 600-acre park.
The money came from an Economic Development Administration grant which will be matched by $1.6 million in water and sewer funding from the city of Meridian.
Lauderdale County funds were used to acquire the site in 2000 and a $250,000 state grant has also been awarded to the town of Marion for temporary water service to the industrial park.
Last month, Lauderdale County supervisors proposed that the the park be named the Meridian-Lauderdale County I-20/59 Industrial Park. The name will be painted on the water tank.
City officials later said that the name was too long. City, county and local economic developers are currently working together on naming the park.
Water supply
Monty Jackson, the city's public works director, said the water tank will serve as an additional water supply for the industrial park and nearby residents.
Jackson said the only other delay in the process is acquiring five additional construction easements along the route of the water and sewer lines and acquiring a permit from the Mississippi Department of Transportation to install the lines.
Smith said even though it has taken additional time to purchase easements and right-of-ways, the project has been "vastly faster" than the sewer project to Naval Air Station Meridian.