Water crisis in Mississippi capital developed during failures in oversight, watchdog says
4 months, 1 week ago

Water crisis in Mississippi capital developed during failures in oversight, watchdog says

Associated Press  

— “Layers of inadequate oversight and enforcement” by state and federal agencies contributed to a water crisis in Mississippi’s capital city that left tens of thousands of people without safe drinking water for weeks in 2021 and 2022, a watchdog agency says. The Mississippi State Department of Health did not consistently document deficiencies in the Jackson water system or notify city officials about significant problems after the department conducted sanitary surveys and annual inspections from 2015 through 2021, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Inspector General said in a report issued Monday. “The MSDH oversight failures obscured Jackson’s long-standing challenges, allowed issues to compound over time, and contributed to the system’s eventual failure,” said the inspector general, an independent group inside the EPA that began investigating Jackson’s water woes in September 2022. The inspector general’s report said that according to a former interim director for Jackson’s Department of Public Works, one distribution pipe had been broken since 2016 and leaked 4 million to 5 million gallons of water per day — enough to fill five to nearly eight Olympic-sized swimming pools daily.

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History of this topic

Long-unpaid bills lead to some water service cutoffs in Mississippi’s capital city
5 months, 1 week ago

Long-unpaid bills lead to some water service cutoffs in Mississippi’s capital city

Associated Press  

— Water service is being shut off at some apartment complexes in Mississippi’s capital city because of long-unpaid bills, the company that runs the Jackson water system said Wednesday. JXN Water said in a statement that it has made “major strides in improving the consistency and reliability” of water flowing to customers in the city of about 144,000 residents. “We …

Racial bias did not shape Mississippi’s water funding decisions for capital city, EPA says
7 months, 2 weeks ago

Racial bias did not shape Mississippi’s water funding decisions for capital city, EPA says

Associated Press  

— The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says it found “insufficient evidence” that racial discrimination shaped decisions made by two Mississippi agencies about water system funding for the state’s majority-Black capital city of Jackson. One thing remains clear — racial discrimination and neglect have left a majority Black, capital city in crisis.” Johnson said the NAACP hopes Mississippi government leaders will …

Online rumors partially to blame for drop in water pressure in Mississippi capital, manager says
11 months ago

Online rumors partially to blame for drop in water pressure in Mississippi capital, manager says

Associated Press  

— Law enforcement agencies are investigating whether social media rumors about a potential water outage prompted people to quickly fill bathtubs with tap water in Mississippi’s capital during a cold snap and cause a drop in pressure that temporarily made faucets run dry for thousands of customers of the city’s long-troubled system. Officials for JXN Water, the private corporation that …

Mississippi officials say water in state capital is safe one day after E. coli scare
11 months, 1 week ago

Mississippi officials say water in state capital is safe one day after E. coli scare

Associated Press  

— One day after Mississippi health officials told residents in the state’s capital that dangerous bacteria could be in their tap water, the state health department said Friday that city water was safe to consume. Earlier on Friday, Henifin did not expect the boil water notice to be lifted after one day because state regulations require officials to obtain clean …

Mississippi’s capital city is considering a unique plan to slash water rates for poor people
1 year, 1 month ago

Mississippi’s capital city is considering a unique plan to slash water rates for poor people

Associated Press  

— The manager of the long-troubled water system in Mississippi’s capital city proposed a slight rate increase for most residents Friday alongside what he said is a first-in-the-nation proposal to reduce water rates for low-income people who get government help with grocery bills. To increase revenue collections without burdening those who can’t afford higher bills, Henifin’s proposal creates a new …

What’s changed — and what hasn’t — a year after Mississippi capital’s water crisis?
1 year, 2 months ago

What’s changed — and what hasn’t — a year after Mississippi capital’s water crisis?

Associated Press  

— Water is flowing again to nearly all of Mississippi’s capital city. “The system is acting like what I would consider a normal water system for a city of 150,000,” Henifin said. One of Henifin’s top priorities has been increasing Jackson’s revenue collection from the water system without raising rates in a city where roughly a quarter of the population …

The water in Mississippi’s capital is safe to drink, city officials say
1 year, 6 months ago

The water in Mississippi’s capital is safe to drink, city officials say

Associated Press  

— The water flowing from faucets in Mississippi’s capital is safe to drink, city officials said in federal court Wednesday. U.S. District Court Judge Henry Wingate ordered Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba and Ted Henifin, whom Wingate appointed in November to manage the city’s beleaguered water system, to appear in court because of comments Lumumba made at a June 14 …

Mississippi’s capital only collects 56% of fees from its struggling water system
1 year, 6 months ago

Mississippi’s capital only collects 56% of fees from its struggling water system

Associated Press  

— Mississippi’s capital is collecting only a little more than half of the money it bills for water use, far below the rate at which most American cities obtain such fees, Jackson’s federally appointed water manager said Monday. Ted Henifin, appointed in November by a federal court to help improve Jackson’s troubled water system, told reporters the city is collecting …

Jackson’s federally appointed water manager may also take over the city’s sewer system
1 year, 7 months ago

Jackson’s federally appointed water manager may also take over the city’s sewer system

Associated Press  

— A federal appointee is managing the water system in Mississippi’s capital city, and the same might soon be true for the city’s sewer system. U.S. District Court Judge Henry Wingate said at a Tuesday hearing that he plans on placing Jackson’s sewer system under the authority of Ted Henifin, who was appointed in November to address the city’s water …

Mississippi impeding funds for Jackson’s water, group says
1 year, 7 months ago

Mississippi impeding funds for Jackson’s water, group says

Associated Press  

— Mississippi has intentionally created hurdles that prevent the majority-Black capital city of Jackson from receiving enough money to repair a long-troubled water system that nearly collapsed last year, the Southern Poverty Law Center said Friday in announcing a new civil rights complaint it filed. Southern Poverty Law Center said in the complaint, which it filed Tuesday, that the state’s …

Jackson water system a step closer to getting new owners
1 year, 10 months ago

Jackson water system a step closer to getting new owners

Associated Press  

— Jackson’s troubled water system could be one step closer to getting new owners after legislation passed the state Senate Tuesday. The bill would transfer ownership of Jackson’s water system to a new regional public entity overseen by a nine-member board — with the majority appointed by state leaders. Parker said he introduced the bill to establish how the water …

Water system in Mississippi’s Capital could get new owners
1 year, 10 months ago

Water system in Mississippi’s Capital could get new owners

Associated Press  

— Jackson’s troubled water system could get a new set of owners under legislation advanced Tuesday by Republican lawmakers in Mississippi. “So whether we like it or not, we’ve got a problem we need to act on here.” The bill, introduced by Parker, would transfer water, wastewater and storm water services provided by Jackson to a new public utility district’s …

Amid Mississippi water woes, proposal could unseat mayors
1 year, 11 months ago

Amid Mississippi water woes, proposal could unseat mayors

Associated Press  

— As Mississippi’s capital city of Jackson struggles with water problems and its Democratic mayor clashes with the Republican governor, lawmakers debated a proposal Wednesday that would allow recall elections for municipal officials in the state. Under Yates’ proposal, a recall election for a mayor would be held if at least 30% of a city’s registered voters sign a petition …

Burst pipes in Jackson, Mississippi, are just the latest of the city's water woes
1 year, 11 months ago

Burst pipes in Jackson, Mississippi, are just the latest of the city's water woes

NPR  

Burst pipes in Jackson, Mississippi, are just the latest of the city's water woes Enlarge this image toggle caption Rogelio V. Solis/AP Rogelio V. Solis/AP When Jackson, Miss., Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba appeared before cameras and microphones earlier this week, he was there to deliver another grim report on the city's troubled water system, which officials have been struggling for …

Even Mississippi lawmaker feels strain of Jackson water woes
1 year, 11 months ago

Even Mississippi lawmaker feels strain of Jackson water woes

Associated Press  

— In Mississippi’s capital city, where intermittent periods without running water have become a fact of life for residents, a new disruption to the long-troubled water system persists just days before lawmakers are set to arrive for the state’s 2023 legislative session. “I’m normally very optimistic in pretty much all situations, but this latest water situation is getting the best …

After Huge Storm, Mississippi Capital Hit by Another Water Crisis
1 year, 11 months ago

After Huge Storm, Mississippi Capital Hit by Another Water Crisis

News 18  

Tens of thousands of residents in Jackson, the capital of the southern US state of Mississippi, were stuck without running water Wednesday, after frozen pipes burst following a monster winter storm that hit most of the country over the holidays. Leaks in burst pipes have caused pressure to drop in the city’s water system, paralyzing supply in most neighborhoods, local …

Water pressure ‘fluctuating’ in Jackson amid frigid weather
1 year, 11 months ago

Water pressure ‘fluctuating’ in Jackson amid frigid weather

Associated Press  

— The water system in Jackson, Mississippi, which partially collapsed in late August, was experiencing “fluctuating” pressure impacting residents on Saturday amid frigid temperatures, officials said. As the temperature remained below freezing, production slowed at one of the city’s water treatment plants while officials worked to correct the pressure drop they believed was caused by leaks and water line breaks. …

$600M designated for struggling water system in Mississippi
2 years ago

$600M designated for struggling water system in Mississippi

Associated Press  

— The federal government will put $600 million toward repairing the troubled water system in Mississippi’s capital city — a project that the mayor has said could cost billions of dollars. “As families begin to gather for the holiday season, today’s action providing emergency funding to address the fundamental need of safe drinking water for every household in Jackson should …

Q&A: How Ted Henifin plans to fix Jackson’s water system
2 years ago

Q&A: How Ted Henifin plans to fix Jackson’s water system

Associated Press  

— The manager appointed by the U.S. Department of Justice to help fix the long-troubled water system in Mississippi’s capital has an expansive list of reforms on his plate. Henifin will spend the next year managing Jackson’s water system after the Justice Department won a federal judge’s approval to carry out a rare intervention to fix the city’s water system, …

What’s behind Jackson, Mississippi’s continuing water crisis?
2 years ago

What’s behind Jackson, Mississippi’s continuing water crisis?

Al Jazeera  

Chokwe Antar Lumumba, the mayor of the US city, says the crisis is a consequence of ‘issues of environmental racism’. Following floods that overwhelmed Mississippi state capital’s water treatment facility in August, the city’s approximately 160,000 residents have regularly lacked access to safe drinking water and, in some cases, running water at all. However, Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba says …

EPA leader listens to water concerns in Mississippi capital
2 years, 1 month ago

EPA leader listens to water concerns in Mississippi capital

Associated Press  

— EPA Administrator Michael Regan said Tuesday that the agency is still working on a plan to bring long-term improvements to the water system in Mississippi’s capital city, which came perilously close to collapsing more than two months ago. The EPA announced Oct. 20 that it had started investigating whether Mississippi state agencies discriminated against Jackson by refusing to fund …

Mississippi capital to receive $35.6M in federal water funds
2 years, 1 month ago

Mississippi capital to receive $35.6M in federal water funds

Associated Press  

JACKSON, Miss — Mississippi officials on Friday approved the city of Jackson’s request for $35.6 million in federal funds to help fix its crumbling water infrastructure, following this summer’s flooding-induced breakdowns that left 150,000 people without running water for days. The Mississippi Municipality and County Water Infrastructure Grant Program approved the full amount the state’s capital city requested to pay …

EPA: Water in Mississippi’s capital city is safe to drink
2 years, 1 month ago

EPA: Water in Mississippi’s capital city is safe to drink

Associated Press  

JACKSON, Miss — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency confirmed Monday that the water in Mississippi’s capital city is safe to drink, after months of sampling at a treatment plant overwhelmed by August flooding that caused wide supply disruptions. At a news conference, Lumumba said Monday that city officials had been informed that Jackson was “in compliance with the Safe Drinking …

Mississippi governor extends Jackson water emergency order
2 years, 1 month ago

Mississippi governor extends Jackson water emergency order

Associated Press  

JACKSON, Miss — Mississippi Gov. Reeves and Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba have traded barbs over how much control the state and city will have to decide on a private firm to operate Jackson’s water system over the long term. Jackson’s water system has been beset by problems for decades, and the latest troubles began in late August after heavy …

EPA civil rights case targets Mississippi over Jackson water
2 years, 2 months ago

EPA civil rights case targets Mississippi over Jackson water

Associated Press  

— The federal government is investigating whether Mississippi state agencies discriminated against the state’s majority-Black capital city by refusing to fund improvements for its failing water system, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said Thursday. NAACP President Derrick Johnson, who lives in Jackson with his family, called the EPA investigation a step in the right direction after years of the state …

Congress probes Jackson water crisis as city and state spar
2 years, 2 months ago

Congress probes Jackson water crisis as city and state spar

Associated Press  

— Congress is investigating the crisis that left 150,000 people in Mississippi’s capital city without running water for several days in late summer, according to a letter sent to Gov. Reps. Bennie Thompson, of Mississippi, and Carolyn Maloney, of New York, sent the letter Monday requesting information on how Mississippi plans to spend $10 billion from the American Rescue Plan …

Water crisis tests Mississippi mayor who started as activist
2 years, 2 months ago

Water crisis tests Mississippi mayor who started as activist

Associated Press  

— The mayor of Mississippi’s capital was 5 years old when his parents moved their family from New York to Jackson in 1988 so that his father, who had been involved in a Black nationalist movement in the 1970s, could return to the unfinished business of challenging inequity and fighting racial injustice. “And so I believe that it is imperative …

Water crisis tests Mississippi mayor with roots as community activist
2 years, 2 months ago

Water crisis tests Mississippi mayor with roots as community activist

LA Times  

The mayor of Mississippi’s capital was 5 years old when his parents moved the family from New York to Jackson in 1988 so that his father, who had been involved in a Black nationalist movement in the 1970s, could return to the unfinished business of challenging inequity and fighting racial injustice. “Instead of shielding their most precious resource, their children, …

NAACP says Jackson’s water problems are civil rights issue
2 years, 2 months ago

NAACP says Jackson’s water problems are civil rights issue

Associated Press  

— In a federal complaint Tuesday, the NAACP said Mississippi officials “all but assured” a drinking water calamity in Jackson by depriving the state’s majority-Black capital city of badly needed funds to upgrade its infrastructure. Before the city’s latest water crisis, though, Reeves expressed his own opposition to state funding for Jackson water improvements, saying he wants to hold down …

EPA preparing plan to help fix Jackson’s water system
2 years, 2 months ago

EPA preparing plan to help fix Jackson’s water system

Associated Press  

JACKSON, Miss — The federal government wants to work with officials in Mississippi’s capital city to reach a legal agreement that ensures Jackson can sustain its water system in the future, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan said Monday. At the meeting with Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba and U.S. Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim, Regan said the federal government …

Lawsuit seeks repairs to troubled Mississippi water system
2 years, 3 months ago

Lawsuit seeks repairs to troubled Mississippi water system

Associated Press  

— A new class-action lawsuit seeks to force Mississippi’s capital city to fix its troubled water system, including removal or repair of pipes and equipment contaminated with lead. Most of Jackson’s 150,000 residents lost running water for several days in late August and early September after heavy rainfall exacerbated problems in the city’s main treatment plant. At that time, the …

Racism seen as root of water crisis in Mississippi capital
2 years, 3 months ago

Racism seen as root of water crisis in Mississippi capital

LA Times  

Deneka Samuel of Jackson, Miss., cannot hide her disappointment and frustration at the problems with the city’s water system, which she partially blames on racism shown by state and federal governments at the Black-majority city, as she stands in the parking lot of Mount Nebo Baptist Church during a meeting of some African American community leaders with Environmental Protection Agency …

Racism seen as root of water crisis in Mississippi capital
2 years, 3 months ago

Racism seen as root of water crisis in Mississippi capital

Associated Press  

— Carey Wooten spent nearly seven weeks hunting for safe drinking water for herself, her two children and three dogs after clocking out each day as a Taco Bell manager, so Gov. While the state plans to stop handing out free bottled water at sites around the city Saturday night, the city said water pressure still hasn’t been fully restored, …

Governor: Mississippi capital’s water is again safe to drink
2 years, 3 months ago

Governor: Mississippi capital’s water is again safe to drink

Associated Press  

— After nearly seven weeks of being forced to boil their water before drinking it or using it to brush teeth, people in Mississippi’s largest city were told Thursday that water from the tap is safe to consume — but Jackson’s water system still needs big repairs that the mayor says the cash-strapped city cannot afford on its own. However, …

The crisis in Jackson shows how climate change is threatening water supplies
2 years, 3 months ago

The crisis in Jackson shows how climate change is threatening water supplies

NPR  

The crisis in Jackson shows how climate change is threatening water supplies Enlarge this image toggle caption Brad Vest/Getty Images Brad Vest/Getty Images The crisis that has hit Jackson, Miss., highlights the fragility of water systems across the country that will be increasingly vulnerable to the effects of climate change in the coming years. "The drought really pushed us to …

Water Crisis In Jackson Has A History : Consider This from NPR : NPR
2 years, 3 months ago

Water Crisis In Jackson Has A History : Consider This from NPR : NPR

NPR  

In Jackson, Mississippi, A Water Crisis Decades In The Making Enlarge this image toggle caption SETH HERALD/AFP via Getty Images SETH HERALD/AFP via Getty Images For more than a month, residents of Jackson, Mississippi, have not had access to safe drinking water. The city is under a boil water advisory after problems with the pumps at the city's main water …

Mississippi capital’s Black business owners decry water woes
2 years, 3 months ago

Mississippi capital’s Black business owners decry water woes

Associated Press  

— When John Tierre launched his restaurant in Jackson’s neglected Farish Street Historic District, he was drawn by the neighborhood’s past as an economically independent cultural hub for Black Mississippians, and the prospect of helping usher in an era of renewed prosperity. “They’re probably taking their business to the outskirts where they don’t have water woes.” Torrential rains and flooding …

Jackson's water crisis is another Hurricane Katrina moment
2 years, 3 months ago

Jackson's water crisis is another Hurricane Katrina moment

Salon  

It's a cruel irony that the same week of the anniversary of one of the worst disasters in our nation's history – Hurricane Katrina — there's another one unfolding in Jackson. So what have Mississippi's leaders been up to for the past few years instead of putting their time and attention toward repairing critical water infrastructure? Rewind to 2014, when …

EXPLAINER: Mississippi capital’s water woes are extensive
2 years, 3 months ago

EXPLAINER: Mississippi capital’s water woes are extensive

Associated Press  

— Mississippi’s capital city is struggling with the near collapse of its water system, prompting emergency declarations from President Joe Biden and Gov. Jackson has dangerously low water pressure this week, and many of the city’s 150,000 residents have been without water flowing from their faucets. Problems started days after torrential rain fell in central Mississippi, altering the quality of …

Mississippi capital’s water disaster developed over decades
2 years, 3 months ago

Mississippi capital’s water disaster developed over decades

Associated Press  

— For at least the third time in a dozen years, portable toilets are parked outside the ornate Mississippi Capitol because Jackson’s water system is in crisis. Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba said fixing the problems could cost billions of dollars — far beyond Jackson’s ability to pay. “Operational unity means that we’re focused more on our common ends and objectives …

Mississippi capital’s water woes persist as aid trickles in
2 years, 3 months ago

Mississippi capital’s water woes persist as aid trickles in

Al Jazeera  

Jackson residents are lining up at distribution points to get bottled water after flooding spurred crisis this week. In Mississippi’s capital, Jackson, residents have been lining up at emergency distribution points to get bottled water for drinking and water to flush their toilets after flooding exacerbated problems at one of the city’s two water treatment plants earlier this week. There’s …

Jackson water crisis forces residents to find alternatives
2 years, 3 months ago

Jackson water crisis forces residents to find alternatives

Associated Press  

— The water pressure at James Brown’s home in Jackson was so low the faucets barely dripped. Lumumba said Jackson’s water system is troubled by short staffing and “decades of deferred maintenance.” He said the influx of water from torrential rain changed the chemical composition needed for treatment, which slowed the process of pushing water out to customers. Even before …

Mississippi capital: Water everywhere, not a drop to drink
2 years, 3 months ago

Mississippi capital: Water everywhere, not a drop to drink

Associated Press  

— Mississippi’s capital city is grappling with multiple water problems — there’s been too much on the ground after heavy rainfall in the past week, and not enough safe water coming through the pipes for people to use. Restaurant owner Derek Emerson told The Associated Press on Tuesday that water problems “are making it impossible for us to do business …

The water crisis in Jackson follows years of failure to fix an aging system
2 years, 3 months ago

The water crisis in Jackson follows years of failure to fix an aging system

NPR  

The water crisis in Jackson follows years of failure to fix an aging system Enlarge this image toggle caption Rogelio V. Solis/AP Rogelio V. Solis/AP The city of Jackson was already struggling with a deteriorating water system long before the latest rains cut off access to safe drinking water for more than 150,000 people in Mississippi's capital. Enlarge this image …

Jackson, Mississippi to go without drinking water ‘indefinitely’ after extreme flooding
2 years, 3 months ago

Jackson, Mississippi to go without drinking water ‘indefinitely’ after extreme flooding

The Independent  

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Jackson has two water-treatment plants, and the larger one is near a reservoir that provides most of the city’s …

Governor declares water emergency for Mississippi capital
2 years, 3 months ago

Governor declares water emergency for Mississippi capital

Associated Press  

Tate Reeves said Monday night that he is declaring a state of emergency after excessive rainfall exacerbated problems in one of Jackson’s water-treatment plants and caused low water pressure through much of the capital city. “We thank the Lord most of all for sparing so many of our residents,” Lumumba said Monday, hours before the governor spoke about the water …

Storms blamed for 3 deaths, water crisis in Jackson, Mississippi
2 years, 3 months ago

Storms blamed for 3 deaths, water crisis in Jackson, Mississippi

Al Jazeera  

The US storm deaths include a 14-year-old girl electrocuted in Michigan and an 11-year-old boy swept into a drain in Arkansas. Severe storms that brought damaging winds, heavy rains and flash flooding to parts of the Midwest and the South in the United States were blamed for the deaths of three people, while a water crisis in Jackson, Mississippi exacerbated …

Parts of Mississippi's capital remain without running water
2 years, 3 months ago

Parts of Mississippi's capital remain without running water

NPR  

Parts of Mississippi's capital remain without running water Enlarge this image toggle caption Rogelio V. Solis/AP Rogelio V. Solis/AP JACKSON, Miss. Tate Reeves said late Monday that he's declaring a state of emergency for Jackson's water system, and he issued the proclamation Tuesday. Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba said Jackson's water system is troubled by short staffing and "decades of deferred …

City water woes delay move-in for Jackson State students
2 years, 4 months ago

City water woes delay move-in for Jackson State students

Associated Press  

— Jackson State University is delaying students’ move-in days for on-campus housing because of lingering water system problems in Mississippi’s capital city. The state Health Department put Jackson under a boil-water notice in late July because of high levels of cloudiness in the water supply. Curtis Water Treatment Plant, which serves the Jackson area, is “under a perpetual state of …

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