NATCHEZ — All new residences and businesses in the city limits must be linked into the Natchez Water Works system, not a well.

The Natchez Board of Aldermen approved the new ordinance on Tuesday.

Natchez City Engineer David Gardner said the ordinance, which took effect immediately following its passage, is an amendment to an ordinance outlining provisions for sewer and garbage pickup written in 1951. He said it was probably an oversight that there was no clear language in the previous ordinance that outlined provisions for city water.

Gardner said people currently on well water will not be in violation of the new ordinance. However, residents will no longer be able to hook up to well water.

Gardner said the purpose of the ordinance is to protect city water from possible contamination through “cross-connection.” Gardner said cross-connection creates an entry for contamination if a person hooks their house up to well water then moves and the next resident hooks up to city water.

Gardner also said there are residents in town who are on well water that discharges in the sewer that are not paying sewer fees, which are handles through Natchez Water Works. He said those residents may also be receiving free trash pick-up service from the city.

“There is no way for me to charge them because there is no water account,” Gardner said.

The ordinance states that any person in violation will be served with a written notice stating the nature of the violation.

Gardner said continued violation would result in a misdemeanor charge of failure to comply with a city ordinance. He said it will be up to the court to decide the penalty for the offender.

Gardner said he has no way to know for sure how many residents are on well water.

Gardner said full text of the ordinance will be published in The Natchez Democrat within the required time of 10 days after the ordinance’s passage.