The city of Itta Bena temporarily was without water service Friday following damage to a water main Thursday morning.
A contractor working on private property at Pine Acre Ranch hit a 4-inch main, which Mayor Reginald Freeman and the city’s Public Works Department were working to fix Friday morning, City Clerk Barbara Applon said.
The main, located on Jeffries Street, was initially repaired Thursday, but the repairs were unsuccessful. The city repaired the main Friday, and water service was returned at approximately 11:45 a.m.
The lack of water caused students in Leflore County Elementary and High School to be dismissed around 9:30 a.m. Friday.
Superintendent James Johnson-Waldington said the Greenwood Leflore Consolidated School District was notified Thursday morning that Itta Bena was under a boil-water notice. He said the district purchased water bottles for students to use during that time.
The district was then notified Friday morning that Itta Bena would be without water. Johnson-Waldington said no details were provided to the district as to why the water was off or when it would be restored in the city.
“While it is extremely frustrating to me as superintendent when the education process is disrupted, luckily, spring break begins at the end of the day,” he said.
It is yet to be determined whether students in both schools will have to attend a make-up day because of the early dismissal.
Contact Katherine Parker at 662-581-7239 or kparker@gwcommonwealth.com.
