It’s been 17 years in the making, but residents in the southern portion of Vicksburg now have a higher volume of water and more fire hydrants.

&#8220The fire hydrant project is now officially over,” Mayor Laurence Leyens said Monday.

The project was one of the few remaining from the city’s 1982 annexation petition, which culminated in 1990 with 21.5 more square miles entitled to city services in exchange for paying city taxes.

All work has been completed and the city finalized the project by approving amendments to upgrade fire protection, approve a contract on the construction of the water lines and authorizing Leyens to execute a certificate of final acceptance and final payment to the construction company.

While construction in the area that includes Redbone Road, Warrenton Heights and Singing Hills has been under way for about five months, taxpayers have been waiting since the annexation case ended.

&#8220This fulfills a commitment…to our taxpayers,” Leyens said.

At least two separate fires have destroyed homes in the area, and residents in the area urged the city to take action to construct new water distribution lines, hydrants and valves along a stretch that had few fire plugs. The first fire occurred in April 2004 and destroyed a home along Redbone Road and sent an elderly woman to the hospital. Two years later, an electrical fire gutted a home on Kendra Drive, where firefighters had to hook hoses to a hydrant on neighboring Belva Drive. No injuries were reported in the second fire.

Annexation nearly tripled Vicksburg’s size, adding areas mostly along U.S. 61 to the south and to the north. Before 1990, the city consisted of about 13 square miles.

&#8220After annexation, we were responsible for the improvements,” said Public Works Director James &#8220Bubba” Rainer. &#8220This is one of the last areas we have to complete.”

One area along North Washington is still due for 6-inch and 8-inch water lines, he added.

&#8220We’re already working with city crews. We should be through in the next 30 days,” he said.

The hydrant project originally began in July 2004 by Bowie River Construction of Hattiesburg. Although it was largely completed, construction stretched well beyond its scheduled August 2005 completion and was left incomplete the following year. Hemphill Construction later contracted with the city to finish the project. The city also contracted with Allen & Hoshall Ltd. Architects and Engineers of Jackson in July 2006.

The project included laying 30,000 feet of water lines and installation of 112 hydrants.

Municipal standards require a hydrant every 1,000 feet, but most are 300 to 500 feet apart.

In other business, city officials authorized an easement exchange with Anderson-Tully, which will allow the company to have an exclusive right of way and easement 30 feet wide across an existing dirt road, records filed with the City Clerk’s office read. The road, perpendicular to Kings Point Ferry Road, is currently used for maintenance of city water wells. In exchange, the city will be given the right of way and easement on land that is 40 feet wide for laying, constructing, maintaining and operating of electrical lines.