Jackson, Mississippi issues Christmas Boil Order after Water Lines are Broken in Freezing Temperatures

Jackson, Mississippi, an already troubled city, issued another boil water warning to residents after a dangerous winter storm battered the country.

In a public announcement on Christmas Day, city officials in Jackson urged residents to boil city water because of low water pressure in the city’s pipes. Officials said that the pressure drops were due to water line breaks caused by cold temperatures and a winter storm that covered 37 U.S. States between Wednesday and Sunday. Jackson’s water system has been the center of attention this year after mismanagement produced multiple water crises.

“Due to the loss of system pressure, the City of Jackson Water/Sewer Utilities Division has issued a precautionary boil water advisory until further notice for ALL SURFACE WATER CONNECTIONS,” The city declared in a statement Sunday. “This advisory includes surface water connections in Byram and Hinds County. The system has lost pressure due to breaks in the distribution system that have not been identified. Some areas may be experiencing little to no water pressure. The O.B. Curtis and J.H. Fewell Water Treatment Plants will continue to work to maximize production to restore pressure to as much of the system as possible.”

“Please check your businesses and churches for leaks and broken pipes, as these add up tremendously and only worsen the problem,” The city made a separate statement via the Associated Press. “We understand the timing is terrible.”

Jackson’s temperatures dropped to the teens and 20s last week. According to The WeatherChannelOn Thursday night, it was 11 degrees. On Friday, temperatures ranged from 23 to 15. Saturday’s high was 33 degrees, and it dropped to 17. The rapid freeze was part a “once in a generation” Winter storm that swept through most of the country this week, from the mountain West to Great Lakes and the Midwest to Appalachia and up through New England.

All weekend, the city experienced fluctuating water pressure. According to AP production slowed Water line breaks and leaks caused water system failures at one water treatment plant in the city. According to the outlet, some areas reported having little or no water pressure for Christmas Eve.

The latest failure occurred months after Jackson’s water system was shut down. failed Because of flooding in the Pearl River during August. Multiple water pumps were installed at the O.B. After severe storms caused flooding of the Pearl River, Curtis Water Treatment Plant went out of business. The result was low water pressure, and an increased risk of bacterial infected, according to a press release by the Mississippi Department of Health.

Jackson’s water supply has faced multiple interruptions over the past several decades. An earlier notice was issued by the Environmental Protection Agency to Jackson’s city leadership. “repairing and maintaining equipment necessary to reliably produce drinking water.”

Jackson residents filed an application class-action suit The city was sued in September, arguing the August water system failure was due to decades of poor management and neglect by engineers and city officials. The suit claimed that residents lost water to wash clothes and drink, to cook with and to do their household chores, including to use the toilet. Further, residents claimed that the water supply had been contaminated and didn’t meet federal standards.

This report was contributed by Ben Zeisloft 

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