Natchez Brewing Company gives fresh water to Natchez residents

Published 6:49 pm Friday, February 19, 2021

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Natchez Brewing Company’s owner Pat Miller left the warm comfort of his taproom’s pizza oven to put on gloves and fill empty containers with fresh water for residents of Natchez on Friday.

Miller said he originally wanted to give out fresh water on Thursday, but Natchez Mayor Dan Gibson asked him to wait a day due to hazardous driving conditions.

Police were at Natchez Brewing on Canal Street Friday to help with traffic control while people stopped and picked up water. Miller said he hopes to be back out on Saturday.

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“We will do it until we run out of water,” he said. “It is supposed to get down below freezing tonight so we will stop when the sun starts to drop. Then we will pick it up again around the same time on Saturday. We will go until the water runs out.”

He said he decided to give out water because he does not have any water at home, and since everyone in Natchez is in the same situation, he wanted to help.

The brewery has a lot of water in order to brew beer. He said because of the minerals in Natchez’s water he has to do reverse osmosis to purify the water. He has estimates his three water-holding tanks hold about 3,000 gallons of water in total.

A gentleman tried giving Miller money for the water from his car. Miller shook his head and told him to keep it.

“It is one of those things we have a lot of. We have it so we should do our part,” he said. “A small community has got to help each other. This community has done well for us, and we are doing our best to support them.”

Miller had six different cars stop for water with others getting in line in the first 35 minutes he started filling up water containers on Friday. Other people went home to grab their own container for water. Miller said people have to bring their own containers in order to receive water.

He got the water to the curb via a hose running from one of his holding tanks inside the building, which ran out the door and down to the sidewalk. Miller said it was Gibson’s idea to have people come to the curb rather than going inside.

Miller said he does not think he will run out of water for a few days unless a longer line develops. He said it is a good thing if he does not run out of water because he still hopes to have enough water to brew for St. Patrick’s Day. He said he was just happy to support the community.

“We are just glad to help anyway we can,” Miller said. “If this is the only way we can, then this is the only thing we will do. To make someone else’s life a little easier and a little better it felt great. We are happy to do it.”