Official Statement from Mayor Dr. James “Spike” Harris
Town of Jonesboro | October 30, 2026
On Friday, October 30th, while improving our water infrastructure through the Water Sector Grant, a contractor inadvertently struck a six-inch water main, causing widespread water pressure loss throughout the Town of Jonesboro. As a result, we have put a precautionary Boil Water Advisory in effect. We will continue working with the appropriate agencies to lift the advisory as quickly and safely as possible once all necessary testing and clearance requirements have been met.
I want to personally thank the contractor for remaining on-site and working diligently to repair the damaged line. This was an unfortunate accident, and I appreciate the immediate response and cooperation of everyone involved. Water pressure is now gradually being restored, and crews remain on-site carefully monitoring the system to ensure pressure returns safely and to minimize the possibility of additional leaks.
This incident underscores why continued investment in our aging infrastructure matters. While the damaged water line was an accident, our inability to isolate the affected area largely stemmed from deteriorated, nonfunctional, or unlocatable shutoff valves in portions of our water system. Through our ongoing Water Sector Grant improvements and future infrastructure projects, we are working to replace these aging components and modernize our water system to reduce the risk of widespread service disruptions.
I sincerely appreciate our residents’ patience and understanding. We understand the inconvenience this disruption has caused, and we remain committed to keeping our community informed.
Our responsibility is not simply to address today’s challenges, but to make the investments needed to prevent similar disruptions in the future. We are committed to building a stronger, safer, and more reliable water system for the people of Jonesboro.”
Dr. James “Spike” Harris
Mayor, Town of Jonesboro, Louisiana