Emergency Water Supply Restored To Century Prison; Nearly 200 Inmates Transferred Out

May 11, 2020

Update: The broken water main on prison property was repaired by Monday afternoon, and water service restored, according to Florida Senator Doug Broxson.

He said full water pressure had been restored to the prison, and now “there’s no rationing of toilets”. The water is still not drinkable as water lines are being flushed. Inmates are still being provided bottled water.

Previous story:

Nearly 200 inmates were transferred out of Century Correctional Institution Sunday due to no water.

Florida Sen. Doug Broxson told NorthEscambia.com late Sunday afternoon that 190 close custody inmates were transferred from CCI to other facilities after a water main break inside the prison just days after the water supply to the prison failed.

Inmates were already drinking bottled water after a water well serving the prison failed last week. Broxson said additional potable water and temporary restroom facilities were brought in after the water main failure, but the situation was not conducive to security protocols for the close custody inmates.

He said the water main was expected to be repaired by Monday, allowing the prison to return to an emergency water supply.

The Town of Century water well serving CCI failed last Thursday and water in the town’s elevated tank located at the prison continued a supply of water until Friday.

Friday afternoon, an emergency interconnect using two, two-inch fire hoses was made from Central Water Works fire hydrants on the south side of Tedder Road to the Town of Century’s fire hydrants on the north side of the road. That, according to Century Interim City Manager Vernon Prather was supplying adequate water to the prison.

The Central Water Works water supply to the prison was at a higher pressure than that of Century. That is believed to be why the 10-inch water main on prison property failed, leaving the prison without any water during the repair.

Construction on a permanent solution to the water crisis is expected to begin this week. Tedder Road is closed from Highway 29 to the prison due to the fire hoses across the road and the construction process.

The Town of Century’s well at the prison did not supply water to the town and the downtime will have no impact on local residents, Prather said. Likewise, Central Water Water Works officials said they have the capacity to supply the prison, and their customers should see no impacts.

Central Water Works was founded in 1965 and provides water for about 1,000 members in Byrneville, McDavid and outside the municipal service areas of Century and Flomaton.

NorthEscambia.com will have ongoing coverage.

NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.

Comments

8 Responses to “Emergency Water Supply Restored To Century Prison; Nearly 200 Inmates Transferred Out”

  1. M in Bratt on May 11th, 2020 8:57 pm

    This is but one more case of Century demonstrating their inability to provide basic services. I would consider it pure negligence on the part of this town to not have the whole water system interconnected so that if any segment fails, nobody ever loses service. Interconnecting is SOP for any water system of more than one well. I guess we are prejudiced to expect any better out of this town.

  2. Bratt resident on May 11th, 2020 5:41 pm

    Anybody know what the Century Mayor annual salary is?! If it pays close to a welder somebody may be interested?!??! Asking for a friend

  3. tg on May 11th, 2020 9:58 am

    Reminds me of the song “This Could Go On Forever”

  4. Alan on May 11th, 2020 9:30 am

    @Fred…I completely agree. By now, the State of Florida should of stepped in based on City financial audits and taken over. The internet claims there are less than 2000 citizens and I am going to assume that means about 1000 voting adults. You would think they would get together and just dissolve the city and let the county take over and be done with it.

  5. Chris on May 11th, 2020 8:41 am

    If receiving natural gas while not paying for it is considered an emergency, well, those have obviously been going on for some time now.

  6. sam on May 11th, 2020 7:36 am

    the town has NO competent leadership, as has been shown on north escambia in recent articles.

  7. Get out now on May 11th, 2020 7:19 am

    I can see the future…….Come visit the ghost town of Century, FL!!

  8. Fred on May 11th, 2020 3:14 am

    How long before they just evacuate the town? What more can go wrong there? Water emergencies, gas emergencies, financial emergencies… it’s just becoming impossible.