LEAKESVILLE – For small towns like Leakesville, keeping water flowing isn’t just about convenience — it’s about survival.

Many of the city’s water lines date back to the 1970s, and while officials have worked to replace aging infrastructure, the costs add up quickly. Mayor David West said the city aims to replace about 10% of its water lines each year but financial constraints make that difficult.

“It’s hard to do that on small-town budgets sometimes, but it does pay off,” West said. “If you don’t do a maintenance program, you’re continually doing hot spots. When you’re doing hot spots, you have to bring in some people in the middle of the night. There’s no plan — it’ll cost you more.”

Like many small cities, Leakesville generates a significant portion of its revenue through the sale of city water. West said the system is expected to sustain itself financially — covering maintenance, operations and staff salaries — but even well-managed systems can fall behind.

“In any town our size — water is king,” West said. “The water should be able to pay its way through — pay for its bills, to pay for employees. It should be able to pay itself to continue on providing water without continuing government help. It should be sound financially, and we are to a certain extent, but (like) any other small town, we’ll get behind from time to time.”

Leakesville’s infrastructure costs

Cities like Leakesville often rely on state and federal grants to fund water system upgrades but those grants typically require a local match — usually around 20% of the project cost.

For a small town, that money isn’t always easy to come by. Unexpected expenses — like storm cleanup or road repairs — can drain city budgets, delaying much-needed water system improvements.

Natural forces also play a role. In 2024 alone, Leakesville recorded 165 water leaks, many of them caused by shifting soil due to drought and heavy rainfall along the Chickasawhay River, according to West.

Despite these challenges, the city is pushing forward. Over the next two years, Leakesville expects to spend more than $1 million on water infrastructure, focusing on efficiency upgrades like smaller treatment facilities and more effective pumps.

Currently, West said the city’s system is at 80% capacity, and improvements are needed to avoid roadblocks to development.

Still, he said funding uncertainty remains a concern, especially as cities prepare for a return to normal operations once federal relief funds expire.

Race against the clock

The Mississippi Municipality and County Water Infrastructure Grant Program, funded through the American Rescue Plan Act, has provided millions of dollars to cities like Leakesville to upgrade water systems. But that funding won’t last forever.

All ARPA funds must be spent by December 31, 2026. After that, cities will have to rely on local budgets and rate adjustments to maintain water infrastructure.

In Leakesville, the city plans to merge new technology with its older infrastructure to improve water capacity and quality, including new, smaller treatment facilities and more efficient pumps.

West said while water infrastructure is a pillar of small city government, it tends to be neglected due to its unseen nature — a view point echoed by Chris Wells, executive director of the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality.

Wells explained water infrastructure has long been overlooked in government budgeting because it isn’t as visible as roads or public buildings.

“The things that get tend to get attention are the things that are seen,” Wells said. “It’s resulted in our infrastructure not getting the kind of periodic and routine upkeep that say our roads do.”

As federal funding runs out, city officials will have to make tough choices. West said, in cities like Leakesville, where many residents are retirees or are on a fixed income, an increase in water rates is not an easy option.

“At the end of the day, there are a few core functions that government serves at the local level. One of those functions is water and wastewater infrastructure, and they do that through taxes,” Wells said. “They’re going to have to look at their budgets and figure out either how to budget for what they need on the wastewater and water side — or generate revenue that they need in order to manage the systems.”

For towns like Leakesville, the decisions made in the next two years could determine the reliability of their water systems for decades to come.