Residents of Island community react to multiple water main breaks

GULFPORT, Miss. (WLOX) - Cones and broken concrete leave some Gulfport neighborhoods looking like a construction site. Frustration fills Gulfport residents. That includes Kristie Centanni.

Her neighborhood, Stanton Place, falls under the many that were affected by water main breaks.

Centanni said Stanton Place has been without water on three separate occasions since last Thursday.

“It makes me angry. It’s like they take advantage, because you know, they don’t care. The other day, I bought two cases and five of the water jugs,” said Centanni.

Residents of the Island community area from the Wilkes Bridge south to the Kremer Marine Bridge say their water shut off nearly a half dozen times over the last few weeks.

The city of Gulfport said the water main breaks came from AT&T workers installing internet cables underground.

However, Centanni said she didn’t predict the work would impact water services.

“You don’t know when it’s going to end. I’m hoping that they’re not able to do this anymore,” said Centanni.

Resident Kat Gainey said she and other neighbors aren’t even customers of AT&T, which only adds insult to injury.

“We’re not even profiting from the fact that they’re digging up our neighborhood. The entire entrance of our neighborhood, one lane was blocked up with construction cones and them digging stuff up. It’s definitely been a nuisance,” said Gainey.

The nuisance, partnered with inconvenience.

Gainey said she dislikes having to buy bottled water on short notice

“Even when they say boil it, you still don’t really feel safe boiling water to either ingest or cook with,” said Gainey.

“When it happens abruptly, you’re not able to prepare, go to the store, and have what you need. People have to take medication or just need to hydrate,” said Centanni.

With the wires and soil leaving an eye soar, Centanni’s next question is who is going to clean it up.

“Get all of the wiring out of the yards and put them back the way they were. Make sure the yards look the way they were when they got here,” she said.

The city has removed AT&T’s permits to do work in this area of Gulfport.

Want more WLOX news in your inbox? Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.

Copyright 2022 WLOX. All rights reserved.