Federal Emergency Management Agency officials are scheduled to visit Friday to help alleviate the city’s long-running water crisis. Heavy rains last weekend damaged one of Jackson’s water treatment plants, further exacerbating the problems. The entire city has been under a “boil water order” since July 29. In 2021, Jacksonians lived under a similar order for 225 out of 365 days. The low pressure has left most families’ taps running dry, but for those who still have power, city officials are insisting they boil their water for at least one minute before using it. The order states that water samples collected on July 28 showed “turbidity (turbidity) levels of 1 to 2.5 units,” compared to standard levels of 0.3. This means there is an “increased possibility that the water may contain disease-causing organisms”. Image: Resident Eddrick Botley pours bottled water into a pot As a result, residents must boil water before drinking it, use it for cooking, brushing teeth or washing dishes. The order says people can “wash hands and bathe as usual – as long as no water is swallowed”. She also advises people to brush their teeth with bottled water if possible. Use Chrome browser for more accessible video player 2:34 150,000 residents in Jackson are without safe drinking water Schools were forced to close and become virtual With temperatures topping 32C on Friday, most schools in Jackson have closed and turned to virtual learning. Meanwhile, water distribution points have been set up across the city for residents to collect bottled water. The Mississippi Rapid Response Coalition is currently co-funding $2m (£1.73m) in donations to help provide drinking water to Jackson’s 180,000 people. In a statement this week, the agency slammed local and state governments for failing to maintain basic infrastructure. Image: Pregnant resident Ashley Tose has access to water at her mother’s home “After more than five decades of state neglect, residents in older cities like Jackson have been forced to bear the financial burden of fragile infrastructure and are regularly exposed to the health risks associated with the need for constant repair.” he said. Jackson still uses lead water pipes, which can contaminate drinking water with neurotoxins. After white families left in droves before the turn of the millennium, 82% of the people in Jackson are black. A quarter of people live in poverty.
