Jacksonville, FL (November 23, 2021) — On Tuesday, Council Member Becton along with JEA representatives Lisa Jennings and Justin Spencer, Cordial Drive resident Douglas Smith, and Greenland Chase resident Norm Brewer celebrated the completion of the Neighborhood Water Extension Project in the Cordial Drive community. Earlier this year, City Council unanimously approved Bill 2021-141 to bring much-needed city water services to this rural Southside neighborhood of Greenland Heights, near Greenland Road after years of failing wells.
Cordial Drive is a neighborhood of approximately 14 property owners off Greenland Road, who have been struggling to have good potable water as their wells began to fail over the last several years. This required them to make other arrangements for having safe and clean drinking water for everyday use. This project was originally scheduled to be completed in eight months, but JEA along with their subcontractor Eagerton Plumbing Co. Inc, (https://www.eagertonplumbing.com/) completed the water main extension, meter box installations, and the final connections to each home in record-setting time. JEA and their subcontractor demonstrated the utmost urgency in completing this critical need to bring clean and safe water to the residents of Greenland Heights in just six months. With the completion of city water being piped into the neighborhood, the residents no longer need to worry about whether their water supply is safe to drink or if they have enough to bathe.
Council Member Becton championed and introduced the Bill as one of his priorities during the 2020-21 City Council Year after spending several years overcoming obstacles which included navigating issues regarding the neighborhood’s tax-reverted roadway, meaning that neither the city nor residents own the road. This issue introduced a complication – because of the legal absence of any owner of the roadway and right-of-way not being city-owned, JEA and the city had to work through legal hurdles to find a solution because of the liabilities involved.
On Tuesday Council Member Becton celebrated the final connection installation with a small ceremony of the occasion. CM Becton opened his remarks stating:
“This is an exciting occasion for all residents within the Greenland Heights neighborhood in not having to worry any longer about safe and clean water for their homes. This day is a testament to all the folks at JEA, who are true neighborhood partners and constantly showing their responsiveness to our community needs throughout our city. In this instance, to recognize the severity of this problem and to accomplish it with so many obstacles and then to do it so quickly, I am grateful and want to say Thank You to our partners at JEA who helped make this day happen. Especially Nancy Kilgo Veasey, Director of Special Projects and her team. I would also like to acknowledge my appreciation to my City of Jacksonville staff and the administration who also worked with me over this extended period-of-time in support of this effort.
Again, many Thank You to everyone involved for your dedication and commitment, the lives of these residents will be forever changed for the better.”
For more information on the Cordial Drive Water Services Project, visit:
