JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) — Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves declared a state of emergency Monday due to Jackson’s water shortage.
Reeves said the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) is also working to prepare an emergency order due to little or no water pressure in the city.
This comes after Jackson Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba declared a water system emergency due to complications from the Pearl River flooding. The mayor said the flooding led to water pressure issues at the O.B. Curtis Water Treatment Facility, causing little to no water pressure for many Jackson customers.
Until the issue at the treatment facility has been fixed, there is no reliable, running water in the city, affecting more than 100,000 people.
“It means the city cannot produce enough water to fight fires, to reliably flush toilets, and to meet other critical needs,” Reeves said.
State Health Officer Dr. Daniel Edney said neighbors should boil their water for one minute before consuming it.
The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) will take the lead to distribute drinking water and non-potable water in the city.
The state has created a mobile incident command center, which will help with repairs and improvements at the water treatment plant. Reeves said the city of Jackson will be responsible for half of the cost of the emergency repairs that will be made at the facility.
The command center was expected to be in operation on Tuesday.
According to the city, the water shortage is likely to last for the next couple of days.
All Jackson Public Schools were to shift to virtual learning Tuesday due to the water issues.
Jackson has been under a boil water notice since July 29.
