NEW WELLS TO OFFER WATER RELIEF ON CAMPUS
by John Sewell
Thomas Fuller, a 17th-century clergyman and historian, once said, “We never know the worth of water till the well is dry.” Four hundred years later, his statement has echoed around the Millsaps campus as the college has dealt with ongoing water challenges brought on by winter weather and infrastructure issues in the Jackson area. Water main breaks off campus often mean a loss of pressure on campus, exacerbated by the fact that the college sits on one of the highest points in the city. And in February 2021, a severe winter storm severely impacted the city and shut down the water system; a mobile shower unit was brought to campus and pallets of bottled water were distributed to students, faculty and staff. Looking ahead, however, Fuller’s quote will not mean as much as the college prepares to develop its own water source. Work will begin this spring to dig two wells on campus and construct a 100,000-gallon water tank, ensuring that water issues become a thing of the past. The wells will be dug along the west side of campus, tapping into the Sparta Aquifer located a few hundred feet down. The nearly 200-foot-tall water tank will also be located on the west side of campus. “This is a critically important project for our campus,” said Dr. Rob Pearigen, president of Millsaps. “We simply must provide this most basic service to students, faculty and staff.” Pearigen met recently with Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba to share the plans. Coleman Bond, director of facilities management at Millsaps, noted the challenges and the benefits of the project as work prepares to get underway. “We have a lot of work to do in terms of navigating the underground utilities and remaining on schedule with potential weather conditions or national supply chain issues,” said Bond. “In the end, however, Millsaps will have its own reliable, potable water source. The city of Jackson will
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remain as a secondary source, and the water tank will provide water for two to three days should both the primary and secondary water sources become unavailable.” The total cost of the project is estimated at $3.5 million and has been approved by the board of trustees. The college has already received a $1.5 million commitment from the Arkansas-based Windgate Foundation, which previously funded half of the new $6 million Windgate Visual Arts Center on campus and, last fall, established a $2 million scholarship endowment. The college must raise a $1 million match to receive full funding from the Windgate Foundation. “Thankfully, I was meeting with the leadership of the Windgate Foundation in November, just after a city water failure disrupted campus at the beginning of Thanksgiving week,” recalled Pearigen. “I shared with them the challenges we were facing, including the issues resulting from the storm in February 2021. The following day, they called me to talk about the possibility of helping us fund an independent water source, and within a week the foundation board made this new, extraordinary commitment to the college.” Pearigen said the college already has commitments in hand toward the matching funds and is actively working to solicit support from others. The Office of Institutional Advancement, led by new Vice President Marty Smith, is taking the lead in these efforts alongside the active participation of members of the board of trustees. “This is an important, visible and tangible project in the life of this campus community,” Smith said. “We are confident we can raise the resources necessary to complete the work and encourage anyone interested in supporting it to contact me directly.” Smith can be reached by email (marty.smith@millsaps.edu) or phone (601-974-1024). The project is slated for completion by the late spring or early summer of 2023. However, the new water supply may be in operation once the wells are functional, even if the tower itself is not fully finished.
