JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — For years, residents of Normandy Village say unreliable water service left them wondering whether they would have running water in their homes.
Now, customers say they are seeing signs of improvement as JEA prepares to take over the community’s water and sewer system.
More than 1,300 customers of Normandy Village Utilities are expected to officially transition to JEA on October 1. The move comes after the previous utility operator announced plans to abandon the system last year.
Michael Kirby, who has lived in Normandy Village since 2009, said the transition has brought a sense of relief after years of problems with water service.
“We’re excited, we’re ecstatic,” Kirby said.
Kirby said that under the previous utility, customers could face frequent interruptions in service and limited communication when problems occurred.
“They put these signs out, the boil water notice signs. No phone call, no email,” Kirby said. “If you didn’t have water pressure, you’d call the office and get a busy signal or they just wouldn’t answer the phone because they knew they had a problem.”
Kirby also said customers experienced billing issues, including inaccurate meter readings that he believes contributed to higher bills. He said customers previously had limited options for paying their water bills by only being able to pay their bill in cash through a mail slot in the building door.
JEA has opened a customer service office in Kingdom Plaza for the customers, giving residents a place to pay their bills and speak directly with representatives.
JEA says it has spent the past year preparing for the transition and making emergency repairs to the aging water system. The utility has also installed meters at customers’ homes.
Myers Vasquez with JEA said the utility learned about the planned abandonment of the system more than a year ago.
“A little over a year ago, we got notice that NVU planned to abandon their system, which means basically they give up on the system,” Vasquez said.
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Since JEA stepped in they haven’t had boil water advisory in the past year and the city-owned utility did emergency repairs. Kirby said he immediately noticed a significant improvement in water pressure.
“I would say the pressure probably, for me, it doubled,” he said.
JEA officials say additional work on the aging infrastructure will continue after the utility officially assumes ownership in October.
The project is also receiving financial assistance. Vasquez said JEA received a $20 million grant through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and Florida Commerce to help offset the cost of improvements.
“That’ll help us offset some of those costs to invest in this system,” Vasquez said.
For residents like Kirby, the changes are about more than infrastructure. He said reliable water service provides peace of mind.
“It’s a relief, to be honest with you, to not ... be driving home from work and get home and don’t have water. Or you’re under a boil water notice,” Kirby said.
Kirby also said he has noticed his water bill decrease by about $30 each bill over the past year since JEA began its work.
With the official transition just days away, residents say they are looking forward to having more reliable service, better communication and direct access to their water provider.
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