When considering repairs to a home or other structure many property owners may consider the cheap route over the more permanent expensive route.
The Pearl River County Utility Authority had a similar dilemma during their meeting on Thursday.
It seems several pump stations in Picayune are in need of roof repairs.
While these pump stations move wastewater from homes to treatment facilities, the machinery and electrical components aren’t equipped to handle the elements. As such, they are housed in structures.
If the roof is leaking, it negates having walls around the expensive equipment. Rainwater entering the roof causes electrical damage and prompts the need for expensive repairs.
Currently most pump stations employ a flat roof to keep those pumps dry, but as most anyone knows, flat surfaces hold water and water has weight. Pitched roofs provide the angle needed to move water off of the top of a structure.
Initially during Thursday’s meeting engineers proposed using a membrane to repair the roof because of the cost savings, but board members expressed concern over the product’s short lifespan. For double the money the roof could have more than double the lifespan, board members pointed out.
For a homeowner such a move would be a no brainer. But at times it appears some public entities fail to put forethought into the use of public funds.
To see a public entity employ caution when spending money is refreshing. While it may seem as though they are spending more money in the short term, they are really planning for the future.
We commend the Pearl River County Utility Authority for thinking of the future and investing a bit more into work that could serve them for years to come.
When the funds are available and the benefits are there, it really is best to invest in a stronger, more long term option so the money is used in the best possible way.