Gov. Tate Reeves announced an emergency declaration for Jackson on Monday night as officials rushed to start providing drinking and non-drinking water to as many as 160,000 city residents. According to state officials, the National Guard has been requested to assist with water distribution as employees work to reopen the water treatment plant.In Jackson Mississippi, the state’s capital city water system is deteriorating, therefore there won’t be much or any drinking water for a very long time.
According to state officials, Jackson’s drinking water system is deteriorating. Jackson is the largest city in Mississippi and has more than 167,000 citizens. Officials are unable to predict when good, dependable service will be restored, and thousands of Jackson residents already have no or little water pressure.
The city water system has long been beset by issues, with tens of thousands of inhabitants going without water for one to three weeks following a winter storm in 2021.
Gov. Tate Reeves stated the city’s major water treatment plants might be fully offline during a press conference on Monday night. The state is establishing a tanker system to supply water for fire trucks when Jackson loses the capacity to draw water from fire hydrants, officials said, in addition to preparing to distribute water to its 163,000 citizens.
I have declared a State of Emergency and activated the Mississippi National Guard in response to the ongoing running water crisis in Jackson. pic.twitter.com/dj6xrqfQ95
– Governor Tate Reeves (@tatereeves) August 30, 2022
Dr. Daniel Edney, the state’s health officer, recommended Jackson residents to save water and to boil their water for three minutes before using it to cook, drink, or brush their teeth.
Trouble started when the city issued a State imposed boil water notice in July
CITY OF JACKSON SURFACE WATER SYSTEM HAS HIGH TURBIDITY LEVELS.
BOIL YOUR WATER BEFORE USING
We routinely monitor your water for turbidity (cloudiness). Water samples collected 7/28/2022 showed turbidity levels of 1.0 to 2.5 turbidity units. This is above the standard of 0.30 turbidity units. Due to these high levels of turbidity, there is an increased chance that the water may contain disease-causing organisms.
What should I do? What does this mean?
* DO NOT DRINK THE WATER WITHOUT BOILING IT FIRST. Bring all water to a boil, let it boil for one minute, and let it cool before using, or use bottled water. Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes, and food preparation until further notice. Boiling kills bacteria and other organisms in the water.
* Turbidity has no health effects. However, turbidity can interfere with disinfection and provide a medium for microbial growth. Turbidity may indicate the presence of disease-causing organisms. These organisms include bacteria, viruses, and parasites, which can cause symptoms such as nausea, cramps, diarrhea, and associated headaches.
The symptoms above are not caused only by organisms in drinking water. If you experience any of these symptoms and they persist, you may want to seek medical advice. People at increased risk should seek advice from their health care providers about drinking this water.
RESIDENTS WILL BE NOTIFIED IMMEDIATELY WHEN THE ADVISORY IS LIFTED
For more information from City of Jackson Public Works Department – Jackson, MS (jacksonms.gov)
