During this week’s deluge in Jackson, Mississippi, water was everywhere, but not a drop was drinkable.
Record flooding not only swallowed homes and submerged roads, it crippled Jackson’s main water pump at its treatment facility Tuesday leaving 160,000 residents without usable running water. Mississippi Governor, Tate Reeves, has declared a state of emergency; he implored residents, “Don’t drink the water.”
Stocks of bottled water have run low-to-nil at local stores. At Jackson’s municipal airport, a line of cars stretched for a mile as residents awaited their allotment: one case per household. Unable to cook or bathe, locals’ nerves have frayed as much as the water treatment plant many knew was on the verge of collapse.
Corean Wheeler, who picked up a case of water at a local church, told henryherald.com that she feels “disenfranchised” by Jackson’s water crisis.
"You don't even want to wash your hands in this water," Wheeler, said. "You can't drink it, you can't cook with it, you can't even give it to your pet. We are constantly paying water bills and we can't use the water. We feel like we are living in a third world country in America and that's kind of bad.”
Jackson’s water crisis has squeezed pet services and rescues. A poor runoff system caused flood waters to seep into Mississippi Spay & Neuter Clinic, damaging the facility. An AC outage ensued, endangering pets. The group is scrambling for donations to make necessary upgrades and repairs. Briarwood Animal Hospital shut down boarding services at its Jackson location, noting that its location in nearby Brandon was open.
Though awash in despair, residents clutch lifelines of hope. Catholic Charities, Inc. of Jackson, which offers a transitional housing program for families seeking refuge from domestic abuse, hosted a water giveaway Thursday and Friday. Individuals and businesses in neighboring communities have rushed to donate water to Jackson’s parched animal rescues.
“Our community of supporters are so wonderful,” the Animal Rescue Fund of Mississippi (ARF) posted on its Facebook page on Wednesday. Beginning Tuesday, pet lovers began showing up with bottled water. Yeats Construction pulled up with a tankful of potable water; the mayor of nearby Pearl offered to have the tank refilled.
Prior to these water deliveries, several dogs and cats had became dehydrated and showed “signs of intestinal distress” requiring veterinary care. ARF stressed continued water needs for their employees and volunteers and urged residents to take care of each other.
“This water crises is taking a toll on Jackson, and we know that everyone has a story,” the post continued. “Take care of your neighbors, especially if they are older; when you get you some water, get them some as well.”
A smaller, rental pump went online Wednesday in efforts to bring some relief, but the beleaguered plant needs a long-term fix; Jackson had been under a boil water advisory for nearly a month before the decaying pump finally gave way. Per the New York Times, Jackson’s water woes are the product of “underinvestment, mismanagement and an exodus of residents to the suburbs, which leads to less money flowing to utilities.”
“In the past two years, Jackson has not applied for either of two federal climate-resilience programs that got big boosts in the infrastructure bill,” the article states. “It was not clear whether Jackson had decided not to apply, or had sought to apply but was blocked by state officials.”
The good people and pets of Mississippi don’t deserve another Flynt.