Mississippi governor declares emergency amid Jackson water crisis

An SUV rests in flood waters in this northeast Jackson, Miss., neighborhood, Monday, Aug. 29, 2022. Rogelio V. Solis | AP

Residents of Jackson, Mississippi, the state's capital and largest city, do not have access to reliable drinking water for the near future after the city's main water treatment facility failed on Monday. The state has issued a state of emergency for Jackson and has activated the Mississippi National Guard. It's also distributing drinking and non-drinking water to up to 180,000 people until the system is fixed. Gov. Tate Reeves said during an emergency briefing Monday night that the city would be without "reliable running water at scale" indefinitely and that there isn't enough water to flush toilets or fight fires. "Do not drink the water. In too many cases, it is raw water from the reservoir being pushed through the pipes," Reeves warned residents. "Be smart, protect yourself, protect your family." Officials blamed the problem on longstanding issues at the O.B. Curtis water treatment plant, which has been in crisis for years due to old infrastructure and inadequate resources to update it. The city also said that recent rainfall and flooding of the Pearl River caused complications at the plant. City officials said the flooding had created issues at the plant, which is located near a reservoir that flows into the Pearl River. City residents have been subject to a boil-water notice since last month after tests found cloudiness in water samples. The water problem grew worse this week when businesses and homes endured little to no water pressure and officials warned that the water from the taps was untreated. Officials on Monday said the water shortage is likely to last the next couple of days.

Reservoir police observe the water release from the Ross Barnett Reservoir Spillway onto the Pearl River, Sunday, Aug. 28, 2022, in Rankin County, Miss. Rogelio V. Solis | AP

The governor said the exact cause of failure was unknown, adding that the treatment plant had been inadequately staffed and operated for years. Reeves said the plant's two primary pumps had stopped working, which left the system to depend on unreliable backup pumps. "It's not operating anywhere near capacity," Reeves said of the plant. "We might find out [Tuesday] it's not operating at all. We'll find out." The water crisis is affecting the roughly 150,000 people who live in Jackson and the 30,000 who live in surrounding communities that rely on the same water treatment facility. Jackson is about 82% Black, according to U.S. Census data. In addition to the unreliable water system, the city has been grappling with crime and problematic infrastructure.

The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency is distributing water to residents and the state is overseeing efforts to begin emergency repairs and maintenance to get the water system up and running, the governor said.

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Jackson to lose running water for unknown amount of time: Mississippi governor

People in Mississippi's capital are poised to lose running water for an undetermined amount of time, the state's governor said Monday night.

A major pump at Jackson's main water treatment facility was damaged and the city has been using backup pumps, Gov. Tate Reeves said during a news conference.

Until it's fixed, there will be no reliable running water in Jackson, which will impact up to 180,000 people. The city won't be able to produce enough water for serious needs, including fighting fires and flushing toilets, Reeves said.

All Jackson Public Schools will shift to virtual learning on Tuesday due to the water shortage, the school district said.

"We will continue to closely monitor the water conditions on a day-by-day basis at our schools while conferring with city officials to determine when scholars and staff can safely return for in-person learning," the district said.

No timeline was given on when the main pump will be fixed.

Officials will distribute drinkable and non-drinkable water to residents, Reeves said.

Hinds County Emergency Management Operations deputy director Tracy Funches, right, and operations coordinator Luke Chennault, wade through flood waters as they check water levels in neighborhoods that are near the Pearl River in northeast Jackson, Miss., Aug. 29, 2022. Rogelio V. Solis/AP

On Friday, the governor was informed that Jackson wouldn't be able to produce enough water for all of its residents.

Reeves is in the process of declaring a state of emergency, which will allow state officials to better help in Jackson.

On Twitter, the city said it's not cutting off water to its residents, saying the water shortage is expected to last a couple of days.

The governor declared a state of emergency on Saturday for parts of central Mississippi that were impacted by major flooding that forced residents to evacuate.

Mississippi has begun emergency maintenance and repair of Jackson's water system. Officials are warning the city's residents to not drink the water because it's raw water from the reservoirs being pushed through the pipes.

ABC News' Darren Reynolds contributed to this report.

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