Jackson mayor to ask for state help with water crisis

Mississippi Clarion Ledger

Some swaths of south Jackson remain without water as the city hobbles out of what officials believe to be the city’s worst cold weather infrastructure crisis in recent memory.

At a news conference Friday afternoon, Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba said he would see if the state can help assist Jackson with the $750,000 price tag that the crisis has cost the city so far.

Early Friday afternoon, Gov. Phil Bryant declared a state of emergency for all school districts in the state affected by the winter cold snap.

The governor cited prolonged subfreezing temperatures, ice and accompanying winter weather for the declaration.

Continuing water pressure woes led to early dismissal Friday for Jackson Public Schools students.

Public Works Director Robert Miller said there have been 210 water main breaks since Jan. 1. He said the city is hiring additional contractor crews to assist with breaks and in expectation of more breaks when the weather warms up.

Lumumba, flush with a stack of news reports at his side, said the crisis extends beyond Jackson and requires a national response.

"This is a national issue. There have been major issues in New York, Philadelphia, all across the country as cities deal with aging infrastructure,” Lumumba said.

The city's chief administrative officer, Robert Blaine, said the city is putting together "an integrated infrastructure plan" to address the city's long-term infrastructure needs. It will include efforts to secure state and federal funding.

In 2010, the city experienced more than 120 water main breaks and a citywide boil water notice.

So far this month, the Jackson metro area has felt temperature lows below that of Anchorage, Alaska, for seven days, according to AccuWeather.com.

The governor said the state Board of Education will review plans for altering the school calendar.

"This extreme winter weather has caused hazardous driving conditions, damage to homes, businesses and public property, preventing access to and causing many schools to be closed," Bryant said.

Jackson Public Schools dismissed early Friday because of the lack of water pressure. After one day back in class since before the Christmas break, elementary school students dismissed at noon, middle school students at 12:30 p.m. and high school student students at 1 p.m.

JPS spokesman Sherwin Johnson said Friday that 60 percent of its schools have low or inadequate water pressure.