JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – One of the largest water leaks at the Jackson Zoo will soon be address, according to the city.

Officials said the zoo has experienced a series of water leaks that have caused higher than average water bills. They said Wicker Construction will be at the zoo on October 20, 2025, to repair one of the largest leaks.

“The Jackson Zoo is one of our city’s most treasured assets, and we are taking decisive action to protect it,” said Jackson Mayor John Horhn. “For too long, these issues have been ignored, draining both water and taxpayer dollars. Our administration is committed to addressing these long-standing problems head-on.”

“For years, efforts to identify and repair these leaks have not been dealt with in a swift and aggressive manner, for whatever reason. That stops now.” said Steve Hutton, Recreation Manager for the Parks and Recreation Department. “At some point you have to stop the leaks. Just because it is painful to spend $100,000 or $200,000 now, you can’t let that prevent you from dealing with the problem and allowing those problems to turn into a million-dollar plus water bills. It’s fiscally irresponsible.”

Hutton said that identifying the leaks has become a complicated multistage process. He said in 2015, it became apparent that the moat surrounding the chimpanzee exhibit was losing water. To keep the moat always filled, a water source was turned on and allowed to run 24 hours per day, seven days per week.

To repair the moat, the chimpanzees were moved to their permanent structure, and this water source was turned off to allow the moat to drain fully. However, the moat did not recede. Upon further investigation, officials said a major water line leak was found nearby which was also backfilling the moat.

After the first major water line leak is fixed, work will begin to identify and repair the leaks in the chimpanzee moat. Officials said smaller leaks are also being repaired around the property.