FERRIDAY — Almost everything is in place for long awaited Ferriday water system overhaul.

Mayor Glen McGlothin spent Friday afternoon reviewing revisions to a contract that will effect a 20-year municipal lease with Triton Company.

The contract will include the installation of all new electronic water meters.

As part of the agreement, Triton will also replace the current holding tank at the town’s water plant, as well as build a second tank for additional storage.

Once the contract is finalized, McGlothin said he will present it to the aldermen at the next scheduled meeting, which will be Nov. 18.

“If they give me the go-ahead, I’ll sign the contract right after the meeting,” he said.

Alderman Johnnie Brown said he would wait to hear the mayor’s recommendation before he made a final decision about how he would vote on the contract, but he’s ready to see the city get the water issue behind it.

“The issue has been around a long time,” he said. “I’d like to see us be done with it.”

Triton has said they could begin some work within 60 days of the execution of the contract.

The Triton overhaul proposal originated during former mayor Gene Allen’s administration, but the problems with the water system go well beyond 2004.

The storage tank has been plagued with problems for several years, and in one notable event in 1999 the entire town was put on a boil-water notice for 124 days because the water plant broke down.

Even if the storage tank was in good condition, the meters would still have to be replaced to prevent the city from losing money on the system.

Many of the water meters in place are the wrong type or just don’t work, and some water customers currently pay a flat rate because there is no way to accurately measure their water usage.

Just having the new meters will reportedly increase the city’s revenue $300,000 a year.

Municipalities such as Tallulah, Jonesboro and Shreveport have similar contracts with Triton.