Jackson, Mississippi’s water system “is failing and is on the verge of collapse, without running water for 100,000” after ferocious weather

DRINKING WATER is failing for the 160,000 residents of Jackson, Mississippi, Gov. Tate Reeves said at a news conference Monday.

Thousands of Jackson’s residents are already without water and it’s unclear when services will resume.

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Reeves said the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency was establishing a command center at the OB Curtis Water Treatment Plant on Tuesday.

“OB Curtis’ plant isn’t running at nearly full capacity,” Reeves said.

“We may find tomorrow that it doesn’t work at all. We’ll be able to see that better when we get there tomorrow.”

Reeves did not invite Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba to the press conference, reports Mississippi Today.

Lumumba has declared a “water system emergency” and said the shortage is expected to last a few days.

Reeves said he did not speak to the mayor directly, but that Lumumba has agreed to work with state officials to address the issue.

Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba said all residents will now be struggling with low water pressure for at least the next few days.

The mayor said the problems at the facility were due to water runoff from the Ross Barnett reservoir following flooding this weekend.

Health Ministry officials will work to restore the facility tomorrow.

“We will find a solution that is good for the city of Jackson,” Reeves said.

Water is available to residents at the fire stations.

According to Mississippi Today, the OB Curtis plant typically supplies 50 million gallons for the city.

Fewell, the city’s other main treatment plant, supplies 20 million gallons but is increasing to 30 million

This weekend, flooding along the Pearl River closed some businesses and schools.

Monday, prompting some leaders to urge the state to take action on the city’s water system.

Jackson Public Schools will be indefinitely removed due to the shortage.

Officials advised residents not to consume the water.

State Senators Hillman Frazier, John Horhn, Walter Michel, David Blount and Sollie Norwood wrote a letter to Gov. Tate Reeves on Monday asking for a special session to address the crisis, WAPT reports.

Lumumba told the station, “The city is NOT cutting off residents’ water.”

He said reducing water runoff from the reservoir will help return water pressure to the facility, but more work is needed to bring it back up to the required level.

He blamed “decades of delayed maintenance and staff shortages” for the crisis.”

He added that training certified water utilities can take up to six years, although the city is working to find an outside contractor to manage the facility.

Techs need two consecutive days of clean water samples to lift the citywide boiling water notification.