The public is being asked to help identify the person or persons responsible for using community water lines for target practice, causing service to be disrupted and money to be wasted on senseless repairs.
What's more, no matter the intent, it is a criminal act that could lead to harsh consequences.
Johnnie Taylor, manager and operator of North Tallahatchie Water Association, which serves about 1,200 rural customers primarily north and northeast of Charleston, said the nonsense has increased as of late.
“In the last two months, we have had three main water lines shot, and one 6-inch main line has been shot twice in the last week,” he noted Monday.
Taylor said the damage has been inflicted to association water lines on George Allen and Mudline roads, the latter suffering the double whammy.
At least 400 customers, representing one-third of the membership, have been impacted each time, he noted.
Based on customer reports of loss of water pressure, in each instance the damage has been inflicted at night, Taylor said. In those cases, officials can only cut off the water flow and wait until the next morning to assess the damage and begin work on repairs, leaving hundreds of customers without water service in the interim.
Johnnie Taylor
Taylor said a company from Batesville, which has excavators and other equipment necessary to perform the job, usually has to be summoned.
Repair costs have varied, but Taylor estimated that each leak drains the association of about $2,500.
“When a water main is deliberately vandalized ... it affects every member of the association,” he said, noting that the increased prices of parts and materials, plus the cost of labor, is taking a toll.
The opportunity for such shenanigans has presented itself due to factors that have caused sections of water line, some of which were placed along ditches and across creek bottoms many decades ago, to become uncovered, noted Taylor.
“These lines were run back in 1972, I’d say, and with all of the water and erosion, and creeks getting deeper and deeper, they get exposed,” he said.
The George Allen Road pipe, for instance, became visible after heavy rains over time washed out a ditch, Taylor explained.
“We’re looking at boring under roads and creeks to get the lines lowered, but that’s very expensive,” he said, adding that locating and scheduling someone to perform the job also could be problematic.
In the meantime, the Tallahatchie County Sheriff’s Office has stepped up patrols in the area, Taylor noted.
He and members of the NTWA board are urging the public to report any suspicious activity near bridges and creeks in the service territory to the sheriff’s office in Charleston at 662-647-5511, to himself or to any board member.
Anyone tied to such acts may be charged with malicious mischief, said Tallahatchie County Justice Judge Steve Ross. In cases where the value of the damage or destruction exceeds $1,000, but less than $5,000, the crime is considered felony malicious mischief, he added.
In his courtroom, Ross said anyone charged with felony malicious mischief is bound over to the grand jury. If indicted and then convicted, they would face maximum punishment of up to a $10,000 fine, five years imprisonment, or both, plus mandatory restitution.
