The headlines may have faded, but Jackson’s fight for safe, affordable and publicly accountable water continues. No report or fancy public-relations campaign can sugarcoat the reality residents face. Our city still faces frequent boil-water notices, and there are constant attacks on our right to govern that go beyond our water infrastructure.
The news can feel overwhelming, but I’ve learned there is power in numbers. On Tuesday, Feb. 25, JXN People’s Assembly held a community gathering at the Historical M.W. Stringer Grand Lodge to look at what we can do to ensure that community needs—not politics guiding decision-making around our water supply.
Many residents raised concerns around transparency, citing a lack of clarity on the charges on the new bills that have been dispensed in line with JXN Water’s revenue collection improvement initiative. Tied to this was a sentiment that wealthier parts of the city could be receiving preferential treatment from the utility for repairs.
People’s Advocacy Institute has established a Community Help Center, which has been engaging directly with Jackson residents. We regularly encounter members of our community who share how rising water costs, uncertainty on the safety of their water and transparency issues with the utility have been affecting their lives. By way of example, several people reported to us that despite their escalating water bills, they have seen contaminants floating in their water.
In September 2023, on World Water Monitoring Day, our team distributed more than 100 water-testing kits and held workshops to teach residents how to monitor their own water. What we found was alarming: Many residents still do not trust the quality of their drinking water, nor do they have the resources to consistently test it.
If that wasn’t concerning enough, the federal government has placed Jackson in even greater jeopardy. On Jan. 24, 2025, President Trump issued an executive order halting all pending environmental litigation and reassigning four career Department of Justice attorneys focused on environmental enforcement.
So, what does this mean for Jackson? We don’t know yet, but it could have devastating consequences for federal funding commitments to our city’s water system. The uncertainty leaves us vulnerable. If a winter storm were to cause another major infrastructure failure, would federal aid be there to help us rebuild? Or would we be left to fend for ourselves once again?
The JXN People’s Assembly meeting highlighted the urgency of standing together in the face of systemic neglect and demanding the dignity and respect we deserve. We must determine the future of our water, our infrastructure and our community. This crisis did not happen overnight, and it will not be solved overnight. But if we come together, we can build a water system that works for us, not against us.
We must stop any effort to privatize Jackson’s water system. The city should retain ownership and control, with the ITPM and JXN Water’s interim actions monitored through clear milestones aligned with this objective. Infrastructure repairs and upgrades should also benefit Jackson’s residents, ensuring fair access to jobs and contracts are prioritised to build the capacity of local businesses.
This MFP Voices opinion essay does not necessarily represent the views of the Mississippi Free Press, its staff or board members. To submit an opinion for the MFP Voices section, send up to 1,200 words and sources fact-checking the included information to voices@mississippifreepress.org. We welcome a wide variety of viewpoints.
