Photo: Brad Vest/Getty
Jackson, the capital of Mississippi, iswithout reliable running waterafter a deteriorating system broke down during recent flooding in the city.
Residents, who have been under a boil water order for more than 30 days, are now relying on bottled water to drink and perform everyday tasks such as brushing their teeth or washing their children.
For many in the city, the current emergency feels similar to what residents in Flint, Michigan, experienced when they were asked to boil water after E. coli wasdiscovered in the city’s water supply in 2014.
“I keep saying we’re going to be the next Michigan,” Jeraldine Watts, 86, toldCNNof the crisis in Jackson. “And it looks like that’s exactly what we’re headed for.”
The City of Jackson, Miss.Getty
Schools in Jackson have switched to virtual learning during the situation, according toNBC News. Resident Lorene Terrell told the outlet that her 11-year-old granddaughter and 5-year-old grandson helped her carry cases of water back home instead of going to class.
“They need to be at school, instead of here with me because they’re just playing,” the 59-year-old said.
With water so difficult to find, Terrell said she found it hard to grasp that the city could experience such drastic problems with infrastructure despite residents paying their water bills every month.
“It shouldn’t be like this,” she said. Jackson resident Lynn Jones also shared the same sentiment.
“It’s not OK,” Jones toldCNN. “You know, we need to do something about it because we do pay taxes and we expect that the system will work.”
NFL legendDeion Sanders, head coach of the Jackson State University’s football team, went on social media to open up about what players have experienced since the water crisis began.
“The city of Jackson, we don’t have water,” Sanders said onInstagram. “Water means we don’t have air conditioning. We can’t use toilets. We don’t have water. We don’t have ice.”
In his video, the 55-year-old said he was helping the team move into hotels that could provide them with running water.
“Which pretty much places a burden on the program,” he said. “So right now, we’re operating in crisis mode. I’ve got to get these kids off campus. The ones that live on campus, the ones that live in the city of Jackson into a hotel, and accommodate them so they can shower properly and take care of their needs.”
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While speaking with NBC News, resident Namiah Thomas said water flow at her West Jackson home has improved in recent days, but she doesn’t believe the water is clean.
“If you fill up your tub and your tub’s white, you’d be able to see the actual color of the water,” Thomas said. “I wouldn’t touch it.”
President Joe Bidenapproved Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves’s request for a federal emergency declaration, ABC affiliateWAPTreports.
“President Biden has approved an emergency declaration request for the state of Mississippi, directing his team to surge Federal assistance to the region,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in astatementon Tuesday night. “We are committed to helping the people of Jackson and the state of Mississippi during this urgent time of need.”
source: people.com
