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September 2, 2010
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Trial by fire for county water director
Published September 27, 2009
WALTON COUNTY — Morris Jordan has hit the ground running.
The new director of the Walton County Water Department, who has been on the job for five weeks now, has been spending time getting to know his staff and visiting job sites as well as spending a few hours on weekends helping out with leaks reported in the system.
“It’s been fun,” Jordan said. “A lot of hours, but I have really enjoyed it. It has been a challenge, but we have a good group of folks here.”
While Jordan is getting used to his new role, a lot of his new coworkers are adapting as what was once the Walton County Water and Sewerage Authority transitions to being completely integrated as a department with the county.
The new director said the department is doing well financially, benefiting from the lift earlier in the year on watering restrictions by state officials as well as a rate increase implemented in July. While balancing conservation practices with the need to make money, Jordan and the water department are also having to deal with pipes in the ground that are reaching the end of their lifespan.
While leaks are normal for a water system, a number of leaks in lines going from transmission lines to the meters are shedding light on a particular type of pipe used by the county and others in the state. Jordan has been spending some of his time gathering data and information for legal counsel as the county contemplates joining litigation against the Shell Oil Co., which made piping the county believes is faulty.
While he has a strong financial background, Jordan has taken water distribution classes before seeking his current post and has an undergraduate degree in chemistry. And he sees his diverse background as a plus.
“I bring a different perspective,” Jordan said. “Sometimes when we do things for too long we get too comfortable in procedures. I think I can approach an issue from a different angle and perhaps see possible deficiencies a little better.”
In addition to possible litigation, Jordan also has his hands full with five projects totaling more than $7 million currently at various stages to improve the water system. Three Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax projects are already in full swing, including improvements to the Youth-Jersey transmission line, which will allow the county to take as much as 1 million gallons a day more from the Cornish Creek Reservoir, which Walton County has a 25 percent stake in and is currently the county’s cheapest source of water. Improvements are also being made to the Youth-Monroe and New Hope Church Road transmission lines.
Two more projects are in the bidding process, including the additional water tank for the Between area and transmission line improvements along Nicholsville and Glass roads.
Some of the early challenges for Jordan have been on the financial end as software differences between what the Water Department uses and what the county uses is time consuming. Like other departments in the county and across the state, dealing with tough economic times and tight budgets is also proving to be a challenge.
But Jordan sees a bright future for the county’s water system.
“We are working toward not being dependent on outside sources of water and when the (Hard Labor Creek Reservoir) comes online, with our partnership in the Cornish Creek Reservoir we may be in a position to sell water. And water is going to be a commodity like oil in the future,” Jordan said. “Looking at things long-term, I think it is all going to be a smart investment.”
Jordan replaced former WCWSA director Wendel Geiger, who announced his retirement in May. WCWSA business manager left at the same time as Geiger.
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