The water system in Jackson, MIssissippi's largest city, has failed and is no longer pressurized, report local media. Residents are advised to boil whatever water they can get out the faucet for three minutes before drinking it; officials do not know when reliable service will be back.
[Gov. Tate] Reeves said the first goal is to restore water quantity so that people can flush toilets and take a shower and then to restore quality to end the boil water notice. As a short-term plan, Reeves said the state will cashflow emergency improvements, maintenance and repairs, which will include contracting operators to assist at the treatment plant. He said Mayor Lumumba agreed to a plan where the city would be responsible for half of the cost of the operation.
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The city water system has been plagued with problems for years, including tens of thousands of residents losing water between one and three weeks during a 2021 winter storm.
Nearby flooding is hardly even a final straw; the problem is systematic and results from years of underinvestment.
