Jackson, MS Drinking Water

The water system in the City of Jackson has more than 71,000 water connections and serves the largest city in Mississippi. As extensive repairs continue to be made to both of Jackson’s water treatment plants and the water distribution network to maintain reliable delivery of safe drinking water, additional work is needed to establish long-term stability of the water system. In coordination with the Department of Justice, City of Jackson and Mississippi partners, EPA is taking steps to ensure the residents of Jackson have access to safe drinking water.

Current Status

EPA hosted two public meetings on October 10-11, 2024, to hear from Jackson residents about the future of the drinking water system. Anyone unable to attend the meetings may email comments to JacksonMSWater@epa.gov by Friday, October 31, 2024.  

City of Jackson, MS Drinking Water Presentation given by EPA and DOJ on October 10 and 11, 2024 (pdf) (1.11 MB)

Jackson Water Fact Sheet for October 10 and 11 meetings (pdf) (324.93 KB)

Hoja informativa sobre Jackson Water para las reuniones del 10 y 11 de octubre (pdf) (326.45 KB)

Background

DOJ, on behalf of the EPA, filed a lawsuit concerning the failure of the City of Jackson to provide drinking water that is reliably compliant with the Safe Drinking Water Act to the City’s residents. On November 29, 2022, the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi entered an Interim Stipulated Order (ISO), agreed to by the EPA, DOJ, the Mississippi State Department of Health, and the City of Jackson to:

  1. set forth a Priority Projects List with critical steps needed to stabilize the City of Jackson’s drinking water system, remedy problems that contributed to the water crisis, and establish sustainable practices for the future;
  2. appoint Mr. Edward “Ted” Henifin, operating through JXN Water, Inc., as the Interim Third-Party Manager to manage and operate the City of Jackson’s drinking water system and implement the Priority Projects List; and
  3. stay this matter while the Parties begin negotiations on a consent decree that addresses the City of Jackson’s long-term compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act. Litigation in the matter is currently stayed until December 4, 2024.

Previous Community Input on Drinking Water System

The agencies asked Jackson residents and workers to submit Community Statements through May 31, 2023. The EPA and DOJ are taking into consideration comments from the Community Statements when developing long-term solutions.

Drinking Water System Improvements

While EPA and DOJ recognize improvements have been made, there is still work to be done.

  • Work started on all Priority Projects and all temporary improvements completed.
  • Repairs to the water treatment plants greatly improved system reliability, and repairs of leaks in the distribution system resulted in a 25% decrease in average daily demand.
  • Completed winterization of the plants resulted in more reliable water production this past winter.
  • Corrosion Control Treatment completed at J.H. Fewell Water Treatment Plant. Completion at O.B. Curtis Water Treatment Plant expected by the end of this year.
  • Work is ongoing to stabilize pressure and water reliability throughout the system, including repair and replacement of valves, pipes, and hydrants.

Grants and Funding

  • Under the EPA’s emergency grant authority, the Agency awarded over $148 million in funding to address the City’s drinking water emergency.
  • Of the $148 million, more than $100 million has been used on actions to address the drinking water emergency and restore the system, including activities to find and fix leaks in the distribution system, improve pressure in the system through valve and hydrant assessment and make critical repairs.
  • MSDH has approved the use of nearly $300 million in Drinking Water State Revolving Funds by JXN Water for capital improvement projects at the two water treatment plants and in the distribution system.
  • Congressional directed community grant of $1.5 million awarded to JXN Water for facilities to support management of operations and to provide safe reliable drinking water.
  • Timely payment of bills for water and sewer service by individual and commercial customers remains critical to the long-term financial stability of the Drinking Water and Sewer Systems.

Links to Further Resources

To review EPA notices of noncompliance, federal orders, quarterly reports along with EPA responses, and sampling results, see below.

To pay bills, reach customer service, get updates on priority projects and other water plant operations, sampling data, financial information, and boil water notices https://jxnwater.com/

To get state inspection reports, state violations and compliance plans, and water quality reports https://msdh.ms.gov/page/30,0,76,720.html search for “City of Jackson” in Water System Name.

List of Orders to Date
 

Pursuant to the ISO, the Interim Third-Party Manager sends Quarterly Status Reports to the EPA providing information on the progress under the ISO. The EPA has provided comments on the Reports:

  1.  Quarterly Status Report for Quarter ended December 31, 2022
  2.  Quarterly Status Report for Quarter ended March 31, 2023: 
  3.  Quarterly Status Report for Quarter Ended June 30, 2023:  
  4. Quarterly Status Report for Quarter Ended September 30, 2023 (pdf) (7.19 MB)
  5. Quarterly Status Report for Quarter Ended December 31, 2023  
  6. Quarterly Status Report, for Quarter Ended March 31, 2024
  7. Quarterly Status Report, for Quarter Ended June 30, 2024

September 2022 National Primary Drinking Water Regulations Sampling Results:
Water Quality Sample Sites in Jackson, MS 

On July 1, 2021, EPA and the City of Jackson entered into a Safe Drinking Water Administrative Order on Consent with the City of Jackson to address long term challenges and make needed improvements to the drinking water system. The agreement memorializes enforceable steps and specific time frames for the City to come into compliance with national and state regulations to reliably deliver safe drinking water and ensure the public’s health is protected.  A subsequent notice of noncompliance was issued in January 2022.  

  1. July 1, 2021 news release
  2. July 1, 2021 Safe Drinking Water Administrative Order on Consent (pdf) (3.6 MB)
  3. January 2022 Notice of Noncompliance of the Safe Drinking Water Act, City of Jackson Public Water System (pdf) (207.02 KB)

Following a February 2020 inspection, EPA issued a March 2020 Emergency Order to address compliance deficiencies noted during the inspection, including operational and maintenance concerns. The Emergency Order was later amended, and two notices of non-compliance were issued.

  1. EPA National Enforcement Investigations Center Civil Investigation Report (Feb. 2020 – transmitted to City on March 30, 2020) (pdf) (7.55 MB)
  2. March 27, 2020 Emergency Order (pdf) (4.09 MB)
  3. May 28, 2020 Emergency Order Amendment (pdf) (109.8 KB)
  4. May 11, 2020 Notice of Noncompliance (pdf) (280.13 KB)
  5. April 26, 2021 Notice of Noncompliance (pdf) (285.67 KB)

Jackson, MS Sewer System

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Last updated on October 17, 2024