Many usher in the new year full of hopes and resolutions. Sadly, for many Jackson, Miss., residents, it is far from optimistic. Instead of setting our focus on new beginnings, we find ourselves grappling with the bitter consequences of a longstanding water infrastructure crisis. Unsafe drinking water, threats of shut-offs, and economic hardships cast a dark shadow over our community as we welcomed 2024.
The recent winter freeze only exacerbated the strain on our city’s decaying water system. On Jan. 18, 2024, reports from Mississippi Today painted a grim picture: over 12,000 residents, mainly in South and West Jackson, faced water shortages, prompting boil water advisories in early January this year. The Mississippi State Department of Health discovered E. coli, which further compounded the crisis, affecting over 180,000 residents across the city and breaking national news. These alarming incidents are not isolated; they reflect a systemic issue plaguing our water infrastructure.
‘JXN Water’s Ongoing Lack of Transparency’
In response to a devastating winter storm in 2022, 30 grassroots community groups rallied together, creating the Mississippi Rapid Response Coalition under the leadership of the People’s Advocacy Institute. Transitioning from pandemic relief efforts, the MRRC has focused on providing emergency assistance while building a platform to advocate for systemic change. In September 2023, the People’s Advocacy Institute, and the Mississippi Poor People’s Campaign filed a motion to intervene in the ongoing lawsuit between the federal government and the City of Jackson for a failure to comply with the Safe Drinking Water Act.
In the face of JXN Water’s ongoing lack of transparency, the organizations seek to ensure an official role for community involvement. The campaign urges that accountability and transparency must underwrite a viable attempt to reform the city’s water system to be able to deliver just, equitable outcomes. Since this filing, it’s disappointing to note the lack of response from the court. With the support of Forward Justice, ACLU of Mississippi, Natural Resources Defense Council and the Center for Constitutional Rights, we sought assistance to follow up on important data requests particularly regarding water quality and monitoring data.
Backed by steadfast legal advocacy from Forward Justice, the CCR, and the ACLU of Mississippi, our efforts have been fortified with no fewer than eight subsequent inquiries made by Christmas 2023. On February 13, a second legal filing requesting a follow-up on the bid to prescribe community intervention was submitted to Judge Wingate, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi of the 5th Circuit Court. Despite our sustained efforts, we are yet to receive any formal response.
Additionally, on December 22, we raised further legal comments directly with JXN Water, opposing proposed water rate hikes and the looming threat of shut-offs. Regrettably, our efforts to engage in constructive dialogue and address critical issues have been met with silence thus far.
The urgency of the situation cannot be overstated. There is a pressing need for coordinated action among federal, state, and local authorities to address our water crisis. Yet, the lack of transparency from JXN Water regarding proposed rate hikes and shut-off threats only exacerbates tensions within our community.
The prospect of water shut-offs is not just alarming; it’s deeply unjust. In a city where many residents live paycheck to paycheck, implementing shut-offs disproportionately affects the most vulnerable among us, further entrenching cycles of poverty and inequality. Access to water is a fundamental human right.
On Jan. 13, 2024, our JXN People’s Assembly gave community members a platform to shed light on the lack of transparency and poor communication with the utility’s water management, alongside ongoing concerns about water quality and billing inaccuracies. Many spoke movingly of the hardships they have faced and their frustration at the lack of transparency or even response from authorities. We have no choice but to escalate our demands for action.
Together, we can amplify our voices and demand comprehensive solutions to our water crisis. Our demands, grounded in empirical data and community testimonies, call for the restoration and resourcing of public water systems, reaffirming water access as a universal human right.
Our struggle is not unique. From cities and towns across Mississippi to Flint, Mich., and beyond, communities across the nation grapple with similar crises. The time for unity and action is now. Let’s stand together, not just for ourselves but for future generations. Our collective voice is our most powerful tool in the fight for clean, safe, and accessible water for all.
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated on March 18, 2024, to include ACLU of Mississippi in offering assistance with follow up on important data requests regarding water quality and monitoring data; the correct title for Judge Wingate; and clarification on parties for the legal case per the campaign legal team.
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