[11/22/02]Water service slowed to a trickle or stopped across most of the Vicksburg around lunchtime Thursday because electrical power was shut off to the treatment plant at the Vicksburg Harbor and backup generator failed to work.

City officials said pressure was lost in the system around 12:30 p.m. after the pumping station had been off for nearly two hours. Electrical work had been scheduled at a power substation near the water plant, but took longer than expected, said city engineer Garnet Van Norman.

Without power, the pumps could not refill elevated tanks which emptied. Power was restored and water was available in about an hour.

“It’s one of those things that wasn’t suppose to happen,” Van Norman said.

As a result, city officials have issued a boil water notice for about 10,000 customers. The Fisher Ferry Water District, which has about 1,600 customers, and the Yokena-Jeff Davis Water District have also issued boil water notices. Both districts buy water from the municipal system.

The state-required precaution says water used for drinking or cooking should be boiled for about a minute to kill any biological impurities that may have entered the system when pressure was lost.

The advisory will remain in effect until samples are cleared by the state Health Department, a process that takes at least two days.

“We should know something Saturday afternoon,” Van Norman said.