MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga.— Officials with the city of Milledgeville have some decisions to make in the near future regarding the city’s water system.

Like residents and business owners in the community, they don’t want to see any more water main breaks that could potentially cause major economic setbacks like it has on two previous occasions this year.

Several recommendations were made at Tuesday night’s special called city council work session.

The only item up for discussion was an update on the city’s water distribution system.

“We’ll hear from our engineering and utility consultants about them engaging to perform certain tasks to include an assessment of our city water distribution system, locating these values throughout the valves throughout the system, and making certain recommendations and improvements and maintaining the waterlines, and strategic placement of new valves,” Milledgeville Mayor Gary L.  Thrower said.

The mayor pointed out that he and city council members fully understand the impact of the recent water events, and they too, want to seek long-term solutions to avoid future incidents.

He invited those present to make comments and ask questions after the city’s presentation and comments from guest speakers.

“The mayor and Council are here to listen to the public’s comments and to answer questions about the subject of the hearing,” Thrower said. “We want your advice and assistance in coming to the proper conclusion about these issues. Again, we are seeking solutions to better serve the citizens of Milledgeville. We don’t want to play the blame game; we want solutions.”

Hal Wiedeman, an engineer with Wiedeman & Singleton Inc., of Norcross, was the first person to make comments. Lee Smallwood, a water system consultant with Utility Service Co., Inc., of Perry, also spoke to city officials.

Wiedeman said he is fairly familiar with the city’s water system.

Wiedeman provided an analysis of the city’s water system and where the latest water main break “kind of broke the spine” on the system. It was a 14-inch water main.

His presentation included what he described as a road map of the city’s 210-mile water system.

Wiedeman said the system really had no ability to transmit past a certain area.

“The big problem that you ran into was that you weren’t able to isolate the line,” Wiedeman said, noting while one area had a great reduction in water pressure; another large area had no water, whatsoever.

That water system outage happened in late July. Another one happened back in April.

In both instances, it led to city officials having to shut down the entire water system. They also had to issue boil water advisories both times, resulting in more than 100 businesses having to close, cutting into the paychecks of many employees at local businesses.

Even Oconee Regional Medical Center was affected by the water situation. Hospital officials had to postpone outpatient surgical procedures and take other emergency measures in order to keep the local hospital open.

Several officials with the hospital attended Tuesday night’s meeting and met with a few city officials afterward about working closely together to devise a solution.

They are expected to get together again soon to discuss possible solutions.

Thrower assured them at the meeting that he and other city officials consider them a top priority when it comes to water.

Wiedeman and Smallwood both believe city officials should first engage in conducting a valve study. A decision has yet to be made by city officials concerning that possibility.

“I want to thank everyone for attending,” Thrower said following the meeting, which lasted a little more than an hour. “I felt like it was a very productive meeting. I want everyone to understand that the city of Milledgeville is trying to find a solution to these issues and trying to work with the right people to consult with us ion providing recommendations.”

Twenty-seven residents attending Tuesday’s meeting. Some of them asked questions after the presentations.

Before the meeting ended, Thrower praised employees who work in the city’s water department.

“They are dedicated, work in the heat during the day and lots of times spend all night,” Thrower said. “You ride by a site and you see two people hanging on to some shovels and you don’t ride when that man dives into that hole and goes to digging because it’s an emergency, but you get your money’s worth from the water department, I can assure you of that.”

He asked the public to thank those who work in the water department when they see in the community.

“The last couple of weeks has just been unbelievable,” Thrower said of the workers and what they have done to repair waterline breaks.