JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba held a news conference with Congressman Bennie Thompson and FEMA representatives.

Lumumba offered updates on the progress that’s been made at the O.B. Curtis Water Plant overnight and into the morning. He even explained where we could see some issues in the future.

“The news has been positive. We’ve had two consecutive days of gains. We’re seeing recovery in many of the tanks. That does not mean by any stretch that all residents have pressure or water, but we are seeing the signs of recovery that we hope to see,” he said.

FEMA and White House representatives spoke to ensure Jacksonians that FEMA and the federal government are here to help get through this crisis.

President Biden’s Senior Advisor Mitch Landrieu said, “The president pledges his support. That’s why he’s got his entire team down here to help make this an effort. We’re looking forward to working with the mayor, the governor and the powers that be to make sure everybody’s got safe water.”

“We’re on the ground. We’re continuing to bring more resources and staff in. We’ll be here for the long haul, until the mission is complete,” said FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer Allan Jarvis.

While Lumumba shared some promising news about O.B. Curtis, he did mention that the progress could bring about more problems for Jackson’s water system.

“I do want to forewarn you of another issue we may experience. As they’re able to increase the pressure at the plant to levels that have not seen in many years, the challenge then becomes whether we have pipes that rupture across the city. That’s a challenge that we’re going to have to be on the ground and dealing with as time persists,” he said.

As far as FEMA’s federal response, it’s unknown what that will look like yet. They made it clear that the immediate focus is to get water back to the people of Jackson, then work on long-term solutions.