Weeks after storms, water crisis continues in Mississippi
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Frustrations are mounting in Mississippi’s largest city, more than two weeks since winter storms and freezing weather ravaged the city’s water system — knocking out water for drinking and making it impossible for many to even flush their toilets.
For more than two weeks now, residents in the city of 160,000 have been warned to boil any water that does come out of kitchen taps before using it.
“I pray it comes back on,” Jackson resident Nita Smith said. “I’m not sure how much more of this we can take.”
Smith has not had water at her house for nearly three weeks now, she said.
Smith is concerned about her mother who has diabetes, since not having water makes it difficult to take her medicine. Her mother and most of the other elderly people on her street don’t drive anymore, so she’s been helping them get water to clean themselves and flush their toilets, she said.
A key focus of city crews this week is filling the system's water tanks to an optimal level, officials said in an update late Tuesday. Workers are also continuing to fix dozens of water main breaks and leaks throughout the capital city.
City officials on Wednesday planned to continue distributing water for flushing toilets at several pick-up points.
But they have given no specific timeline for when the crisis will be resolved, nor have they said how many residents remain without water. It is difficult to estimate how many customers remained without water Wednesday, said Michelle Atoa, a spokeswoman for the mayor’s office.
The crisis has taken a toll on businesses. Jeff Good is co-owner of three Jackson restaurants, and two of them remained closed Wednesday. In an update to his customers posted on Facebook, Good said the businesses have insurance, but he’s...