JACKSON / WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) – Due to technical problems, there is a general shortage of drinking water and running water in the capital of the US state of Mississippi. The state governor, Tate Reeves, reported on Monday evening (local time) regarding serious problems in the water treatment system in the city of Jackson. “Don’t drink the water,” he warned, looking at the water that was still coming through the pipes.
“In too many cases it is raw water from the reservoir that is forced through the pipes.” The city of 180,000 currently has “no reliable running water on a large scale”. This is not only a problem for the drinking water supply, but for the water supply as a whole. To mobilize additional personnel and resources, Reeves declared a state of emergency and activated the National Guard to assist.
“It means the city can’t produce enough water for firefighting, reliable toilet flushing and other essential needs,” Reeves said. “We will do everything in our power to restore water pressure and bring water back to the people of Jackson.” For the time being, water should be distributed to the residents of the city. This is an “extremely complicated logistical task,” Reeves complained: “We have to take care of up to 180,000 people for an unknown period of time.”
Reeves admitted the problems had been brewing for some time. However, damage to several pumps at the city’s central water treatment plant would have exacerbated the situation. The region has recently had to contend with heavy rainfall and flooding. Jackson is the largest city in Mississippi in the southern United States./jac/DP/stw
