The City of D’Iberville, the Woolmarket area, and north-central Harrison County, Mississippi, have experienced rapid growth in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina as coastal residents move inland. Additional water supply capacity is needed to support and sustain this level of growth, as well as to continue to accommodate current residents.

PBS&J was selected by the Harrison County Utility Authority (HCUA) to provide professional services for the recovery, rebuilding, and expansion of the eastern Harrison County regional water supply system. This $25 million project, funded by the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Disaster Recovery grant program, involves improvements to the water supply system along MS 67 on the Mississippi coast.

Officials broke ground July 31 on the project, which will include 5 new water supply wells, 4 elevated water storage tanks, and 19 miles of associated water transmission pipelines. PBS&J Senior Project Manager Michael Reid, PE, attended the ceremony, along with representatives from the Harrison County Board of Supervisors, HCUA, and other project executives. PBS&J will provide conceptual and final design, permitting, and construction phase services. The project manager and design engineer for the project, PBS&J’s Craig Ferguson, PE, BCEE, estimates that the work will be completed in about 18 months.

While this project is the company’s largest post-Katrina water supply assignment to date, PBS&J has also assisted other areas of coastal Mississippi with similar improvements. These projects have included water supply system improvements in the Pearlington and Port Bienville areas for the Hancock County Utility Authority, as well as water and sewer system improvements for the City of Pascagoula.