Jackson Water Crisis Deepens as State Deploys National Guard – On Thursday, Gov. Tate Reeves ordered the deployment of 600 National Guard troops to the major water distribution sites in the capital of Mississippi as workers scrambled to fix the plant pumps that have been failing for weeks, depriving citizens of access to steady running water.
From 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., state officials launched seven mass water distribution stations staffed by National Guard troops to supplement city facilities run by fire departments, churches, and nonprofit organizations. To help Jackson, cities in the region have also begun trucking in water.
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By late afternoon, cars were backed up at locations across the state, including the state fairgrounds, where officials told reporters that 108 trucks would deliver enough water over the course of the next four days for 150,000 city inhabitants in addition to 30,000 visitors.
“To everyone in the city: I know you are dealing with a deeply unfair situation,” said Reeves, flanked by state officials and Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar. Lumumba. “It’s frustrating, it’s wrong and it needs to be fixed.”
He announced some progress:
“The water pressure was doubled from the day before on Thursday thanks to the emergency rental pump that had been used to repair one of the plant’s two broken pumps. Although it was unknown when water service would be restored citywide, he said the second pump was anticipated to be repaired early next week.”
After issues at one of the city’s two water treatment plants were made worse by flooding from the Pearl River, Reeves proclaimed a state of emergency on Monday afternoon. Due to what the state described as quality issues, the city has been under a boil-water advisory since late July. Additionally, the water facility has had issues in recent years, including staff shortages, failed environmental inspections, a freeze, and a fire.
President Biden authorized the state’s emergency declaration on Tuesday, and he spoke with Lumumba on Wednesday to review the response operations, which included assistance from the Army Corps of Engineers, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. According to an aide, Biden expressed a desire to address the situation and support the reconstruction of Jackson’s water infrastructure.
Vice President Harris, according to Lumumba, also contacted him, and FEMA Administrator Dana Criswell spoke with Reeves and was scheduled to travel to Jackson on Friday. According to Karine Jean-Pierre, the press secretary for the White House, FEMA representatives and EPA specialists were also on the ground working with state teams.
“We are focusing our efforts on immediate needs to ensure safe drinking water is available for those who need it,” FEMA spokeswoman Jaclyn Rothenberg tweeted.
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Jackson Water Crisis Deepens as State Deploys National Guard – Reeves, a Republican, and Lumumba, a Democrat, have been criticized for failing to address the city’s infrastructure issues. During Thursday’s live briefing, residents vented their anger online. However, Reeves denied partisanship claims, and the two emphasized the importance of cooperating. Before Thursday, the mayor and governor held separate daily press conferences to update the public on the crisis.
