The Oxford Board of Aldermen signed a resolution Tuesday to accept the transfer of Punkin Water Association, officially making former PWA customers, new customers of Oxford Utilities.

The Board of Aldermen approved an agreement to take over the Punkin Water Association in February 2022.

While the transfer took almost three years, customers have been issuing complaints about their water for well over a decade.

A water line to tie into the former PWA system needed to be constructed from around the Brittany Woods area up to Campground Road.

However, before the city could begin constructing the water line, it had several hurdles to overcome.

The city needed local and private legislation that authorized Oxford to construct, maintain and operate a water system beyond 5 miles from the Oxford city limits. The Mississippi Department of Health had to approve the construction work and the overall extension to serve the members of PWA.

Residents receiving water from PWA have been issuing complaints to the Public Service Commission for several years over the quality of the water and poor management of the water association. Customers often complain about discoloration of their water and having to replace water filters almost weekly.

Former PWA customers will have their meters read by Oxford Utilities starting Sept. 29 and most customers will see their first OU water bill in late September or early October.

For more information or questions, contact Oxford Utilities at 662-232-2373.