2 ms·
I didn't downvote but I don't buy the city/state political divide as a significant cause. For one, accidents happen. For two, a water system needs to be financi
by adolph 4y ago
I didn't downvote but I don't buy the city/state political divide as a significant cause. For one, accidents happen. For two, a water system needs to be financially sustainable. If its finances were in shambles, as the EPA assessment below found, then that will lead to the other problems listed.
Having spent the 45 seconds the parent comment did not share, the story I see is one where the state was willing to match more funds but the city had other priorities. This isn't written as criticism of the city's decision but acknowledgement that different people see things differently. If some other disaster had happened that decision might have been vindicated.
[Dated April 28, 2022, MS Gov] Reeves said the state was willing to match Jackson’s water and sewer infrastructure spending, and criticized the city only putting up $25 million of the $42 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds it received for such work.
https://mississippitoday.org/2022/04/28/tate-reeves-veto-jackson-golf-course-planetarium/ https://mississippitoday.org/2022/04/28/tate-reeves-veto-jac...
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) assessment team flagged numerous system problems in a July 2022 report, one month before the system failed. The problems highlighted in the report include:
- Poor administration, lack of staff
- Finances are in shambles
- Customer complaints
- Lack of routine monitoring and maintenance
- Water in storage tanks isn’t cycled
- Frequent line breaks
https://www.wjtv.com/news/jacksons-water-crisis/jacksons-water-crisis-the-latest-updates/ https://www.wjtv.com/news/jacksons-water-crisis/jacksons-wat...