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JACKSON, miss. – Pursuant to the Mississippi Drinking Water Safety Act of 1997 (§41-26-1 et sec.), the Mississippi State Department of Health, upon receipt of information that emergency circumstances exist for customers of the City of Jackson, Mississippi drinking water system to receive drinking water and a public water system emergency exists, is imminent, or may reasonably occur without the immediate implementation of additional personnel and corrective action hereby declares a public drinking water supply emergency in the City of Jackson, Mississippi.
This statement is based on information received by the Mississippi State Department of Health (“MSDH”) as follows:
- Insufficient number of certified operators at JH Fewell and OB Curtis water treatment plants
- Insufficient number of maintenance staff at all water treatment plants and to support the distribution system
- Failure of multiple raw water pumps at the OB Curtis water treatment plant
- Low water levels in storage tank
- Low water pressure impacts sanitation and education opportunities
- Disinfection levels are not consistently optimal, which expands the possibility of having the presence of enteric organisms including but not limited to E.Coli, Cryptosporidium or Giardia in drinking water served to customers .
ORDER
Pursuant to Section 41-26-7 of the Mississippi Clean Water Act of 1997 and based on the Declaration, the State Health Officer hereby orders that the City of Jackson, including including, but not limited to, Department of Public Works and Emergency Management employees to immediately cooperate with State Response Teams and deployed contractors to augment current manpower and take corrective action deemed necessary by the State Incident Commander.
Notwithstanding the requirements of this Order, the City of Jackson will continue to be responsible for compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act, any U.S. EPA Emergency Administrative Orders, and for enforcing implements all applicable monitoring and reporting requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Compliance with this ordinance shall in no way be construed as relieving the City of Jackson of its obligation to comply with all provisions of federal, state or local law.
This Order shall remain in full force and effect for not more than one hundred and twenty (120) days. The public health officer may extend this order for additional periods of thirty (30) days, as deemed appropriate.
For more information, visit HealthyMS.com/jacksonwater.
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press contact: MSDH Communications Office, (601) 576-7667
Note to media: After hours or in case of emergency, call (601) 576-7400
Last revised August 30, 2022
