NATCHEZ — Five decades after Adams County Water started in the back of a local automobile dealer ship, the water system continues to grow.

Earlier this month, the Cannonsburg-Church Hill Water Association voted to join ACWA, which will add 320 customers if the joint venture is approved.

The additional customers will allow ACWA to increase to approximately 7,500 water connections, making it one of the largest water systems in the state, ACWA General Manager Ken Herring said.

The company currently serves customers in Adams County, parts of Jefferson County and parts of Franklin County, Herring said.

“We are always looking for growth, and this was an opportunity for both communities,” Herring said. “The ACWA board along with the Cannonsburg-Church Hill trustees have one common goal, which is to provide our communities with the best water service available at a reasonable rate.”

Joining ACWA will give Cannonsburg-Church Hill customers many benefits small water systems cannot provide, Herring said.

“With a larger water association, they get 24-hour service,” Herring said.

If there is an emergency, ACWA has available personnel to respond.

Herring said customers will also get the benefit of paying their bills online or by phone.

“Customers of smaller water systems usually have to take their payment to a person’s house,” Herring said. “What we offer is a lot more convenient.”

After the United States Department of Agriculture approves the joint venture and the Mississippi Public Service Commission approves the transfer, ACWA plans several improvements for Cannonsburg-Church Hill customers, Herring said.

Improvements include the addition of a computerized system, which will allows ACWA to monitor water quality 24 hours a day, Herring said.

In recent years, ACWA has seen several improvements.

“We just recently completed a very large billing upgrade,” Herring said.

The upgrade allows the association to place wireless work orders, which means that customers can get their water service turned on faster.

“(With the upgrade,) customers can see payments the second they pay them by phone or website,” Herring said. “It is considered a live system.”

The new upgrades, which took about a year-and-a-half to complete, also help make ACWA be more efficient and productive.

“The new system also allows us to track all of our inventory — from the time a part leaves the supply house to the where it is used at the house,” Herring said.

ACWA continues to plan for the future, Herring said. The group is developing plans to add another well in the Fenwick area, which is known to be an excellent water source and is close to the center of the association’s customer service area, Herring said.

“We are constantly trying to do what is best for the customers, improve our service,” Herring said.