JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – Governor Tate Reeves (R-Miss.) provided an update to Jackson’s water crisis on Tuesday.
According to the governor, the situation at the O.B. Curtis Water Treatment Facility was not significantly worse or better on Tuesday. Leaders said the plant is not producing adequate water pressure, and some residents are experiencing outages.
Reeves said an emergency declaration was sent to the Biden Administration for a federal emergency to be declared due to Jackson’s water crisis. The governor said the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) received the request.
If declared, any eligible expenses paid for by the state could be eligible for federal reimbursement.
“This is not a situation that’s going to be solved immediately, and it’s not going to be solved overnight, but we’re going to make it. We will make decisions to make incremental progress as we navigate through this,” said Reeves.
On Monday, the governor declared a state of emergency due to Jackson’s water crisis.
The governor has activated the Mississippi National Guard to support state assistance to the City of Jackson and surrounding areas.
The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) will take the lead to distribute drinking water and non-potable water in the city. MEMA Executive Director Stephen C. McCraney said 108 semi trucks with water will arrive in the city in the coming days.
“We have ten tractor trailer loads of water coming in today, and over the next days, we’re going to have over 108,000, I mean, 108 semi-trucks of water coming in. So if you look at how much we’re going to be able to put out starting Thursday at 12:00,” said McCraney
According to McCraney, water distribution sites will be announced at a later date.
The state has created a mobile incident command center, which will help with repairs and improvements at the O.B. Curtis Water Treatment Facility. 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 center was up and operating on Tuesday.
Both primary pumps are broken and are currently being serviced. Officials have already gotten a replacement pump that is expected to be installed on Wednesday to help improve water pressure.
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The mobile incident command center was set up at the O.B. Curtis Water Treatment Plant (Courtesy: Gov. Tate Reeves) -
The mobile incident command center was set up at the O.B. Curtis Water Treatment Plant (Courtesy: Gov. Tate Reeves) -
The mobile incident command center was set up at the O.B. Curtis Water Treatment Plant (Courtesy: Gov. Tate Reeves)
Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba welcomed the state’s help on Tuesday.
Jackson has been under a boil water notice since July 29, 2022.
Watch the governor’s full news conference below: