x
Breaking News
More () »

Residents complain of low water pressure in St. Johns and parts of Duval

Residents in the Bartram Park area are seeing more brown than green in their lawns. They know the area is in a dry spell but they say there is an issue of low water

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Residents in the Bartram Park area are seeing more brown than green in their lawns. They know the area is in a dry spell but they say there is an issue of low water pressure contributing to their concerns.

The complaints are from neighborhoods in zip codes 32258, 32259, 32281 and 32292.

"I've always noticed a little bit when washing my dishes," said Susan Ringenberg.

Ringenberg lives in zip code 32258.

"You don't get that full flush or when you're washing dishes you don't get that good pressure coming out of the water system," she said.

Her water pressure concerns are not only indoors, but outdoors as well. 

"This grass is dead I don't think it will ever come back," she said.

She said the irrigation system pressure is low and doesn't cover the area as before. 

"It's not allowing enough pressure to push the sprinkler heads up," said Ringenberg.

Like many, she uses reclaimed water for irrigation, pays nearly $100 a month but she is not getting the coverage she needs.

Others are sounding off on Social Media.

"JEA says they've reduced pressure so that water sprinklers won't run due to drought... is this normal?" was one post. 

Another person wrote: "Our sprinklers are definitely low... pressure is so low this area is getting missed."

"Low in Southern Grove as well," wrote another resident

All of the complaints are from neighborhoods in the fastest growing areas of St Johns and Duval counties.

Ringenberg noticed the pace of the growth and believes construction is having its impact.  

"If there isn't the right infrastructure why are we continuing to build?" said Ringenberg. 

On Your Side reached out to JEA for answers.

"At this time JEA is not seeing a widespread pressure issue in the 32258 zip code area, so this may be a localized issue," said a spokesperson.

There was no mention of the other zip codes. But after our inquiry, the JEA sent a crew to Rigenberg's home to investigate the problem.

She was told that the JEA Data Loggers will monitor usage and water flow over the next couple of days.

There is a concern as to how the water pressure issue is affecting the nearby fire hydrants.

The JEA is constructing a new pump station near US1 and Race track road but said this was in the works before the current concerns.

 JEA continually reviews its water systems to ensure that it is able to adequately provide service to all customers. That includes planning for pump stations in growing areas such as US1 and Racetrack Road. The plan to include a new pump station has actually been underway since 2016, to accommodate projected growth. It will be completed this calendar year. While it will not necessarily bolster pressure, it is expected to ensure that water pressure to existing customers remains steady. There are several other projects underway that will have a positive impact specifically for the Bartram area.

Before You Leave, Check This Out