Saturday, November 12, 2022

Flashback: The Tables are Turned

Regionalization for the various water and sewer systems in the Jackson metro area has been discussed as a possible solution for Jackson's water problems.  Mississippi Today's Geoffrey Pender reported in September

one of the first ideas floated in backroom discussions was creating a “regional authority” to oversee and overhaul waterworks for Jackson and, ostensibly, other areas, particularly those surrounding areas already on the capital city’s system.

This would make sense. Regionalization and consolidation of water and sewer services has been a trend nationwide. Regionalization appears to help garner favor — and funding — from Congress and environmental agencies. Studies by experts say regional approaches allow systems to comply with stricter standards, connect unserved communities to water and sewerage and, importantly, save customers money using economies of scale for upgrades and repairs.

Jackson’s chamber of commerce has called for creation of a regional water authority. And there’s growing sentiment among many Mississippi leaders that someone other than the city of Jackson should run or help run the system. But so far, talk of a regional authority for Jackson and surrounds has gained little traction, particularly with Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba and leaders in areas around Jackson.

The realpolitik is a true regional water system would be a tough sell in the Jackson Metro Area. It would appear no other cities want to be in a regional water authority with Jackson, and state leaders are unlikely to force it....

How things change.  Once upon a time, the burbs wanted to create a regional authority for water and sewer service with Jackson yet King Harvey did not say no but hell no in one of his far-sighted policies.  The  Clarion-Ledger published a rather prophetic article on August 7, 2000: 

 



Now of course, the burbs want nothing to do with Jackson.  How things have changed.

 

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

There is a big, big difference in "regionalization" of the water system and what has been discussed and suggested by state leaders. Thank you Mississippi Today for continuing the disinformation.

The "regionalization" that has been suggested is nothing more than taking the existing Jackson water/sewer system and putting it under a 'regional' metro system.

It would be 'regional" due to the fact that currently Jackson provides water, and sewer or sewer treatment for customers in the metro area other than just Jackson residents - water and sewer for Byram; sewer treatment for Ridgeland; water for parts of Hinds County outside city limits of Jackson

Yes, a real 'regional' system would be good government - something folks in Mississippi has never been in favor of, preferring instead to have inefficient government where they can elect everything from dog catcher to Governor and Supreme Court Clerk.

But MS Today tring to stir the pot against a good start to fixing Jackson's incompetence by nisrepresenting the current concept of addressing Jackson's failure with this article exposes their preference of attacking anything positive if it might attack the failures of black leadership in the city or the state

Anonymous said...

Ridgeland's mayor: "If (Johnson) keeps that attitude, it may be hard for Jackson rate payers to support the system one day."

And there's this: "Jackson, with plans to spend more than $300 million over the next 15 years to make long overdue improvements in its water and sewer facilities . . . "

We know what Harvey Johnson did with $90 million 12 years later with the Seimens deal. What happened to the other $210 million?

Anonymous said...

Now of course, the burbs want nothing to do with Jackson.

[And] the political heft in the Legislature to call the shots upon any legislative request made by the Crapital City.

Anonymous said...

I wish to join the lawsuit right now to keep Clinton out of this fools play. Everything is fine over here, mostly because our oficials are honest and we pay our bills (or they quickly cut off our water)

I can't imagine who would want to be a part of a multi county system with Jackson. WOuld be like swimming with an anchor tied to your feet.

Anonymous said...

@8:28pm - The MS Supreme Court Clerk isn’t elected.

Anonymous said...

Regionalization means sharing the pain of the totally ineffective and weakest link in the group. It would be like dumping Canton Municipal Separate School District (including its employees) into the Madison County School District.

Anonymous said...

Metro has one and only one meaning - population. That's it and it stops THERE. Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area (SMSA) derives from population - with one city having a population of at least 50,000 being contiguously surrounded by smaller towns. The acronym SMA has replaced the one just mentioned.

We need make nothing more out of the term than that, certainly not in forming consortiums as if the grouping's members have magical things in common. They don't. Let's not pretend there might be social or political linkages.

Show of hands...If you had a boil on your ass, would you puncture your entire body with needles?

Anonymous said...

This sewage issue stinks.

Anonymous said...

How ironic the Harvey had alot of white voters support at that time also what’s the deal with Harvey and Gary Rhoades mayor at the time of flowood in cahoots also… by the way Chokwe can’t be a part of anything he isn’t in charge of or calling the shots. He’s a moron and can’t do that so he stomps his feet like a kid at toys r us

Anonymous said...

@8:28

FIFY

It would be 'regional" due to the fact that occasionally Jackson provides water, and sewer or sewer treatment for customers in the metro area other than just Jackson residents

Anonymous said...

@8:28– responding to 10;18–or dog catcher.

Anonymous said...

8.28. The members of the State Supreme Court and court of appeals are elected

Anonymous said...

November 12, 2022 at 10:18 PM, I guess the next thing you will tell us is the Germans didn't bomb Pearl Harbor?

That'sMisterDeplorableToYou said...

If a household does not pay its water bill, and the household is given plenty of warnings and notice about it, should the water service then be cut off if the household still does not pay its bill? Because what I remember hearing and reading from the people who are now saying that Jackson's water-system problems are caused by "systemic racism" is that water is a "fundamental human right" and that non-payment of the water bill was not sufficient justification to cut off service. If I remember correctly, many, many Jacksonians simply didn't pay their water bills and the city did not cut off service which resulted in revenue shortfalls.

Any area that consolidates its water system with that of Jackson is just asking for a headache of massive proportions. Would such a consolidated system be allowed to enforce bill payment by service shutoff? And if not, what's to stop the revenue shortfall problem from reoccurring there? Essentially they'd be agreeing to subsidize Jackson's water system.

Anonymous said...

Elected or not, I’m sure more government is the answer.

Anonymous said...

@8:55 - Jackson barely provides water and sewer service to its OWN inhabitants, occasionally.

Anonymous said...

Some of you seem to have selectively forgotten that those who were allowed to not pay their water bill had useable drinking/cooking water due to contamination... mostly lead.
Nor have you compared loss revenue numbers to what amount of money that would have been available to improve the system. It would have been like sealing around one roof vent when the entire roof is leaking!
I'm pleased to be one of the random recipients of the new meters.
The work was very well done, left no mess and I love that it's easy for me to read and track.
My bill just came and is exactly what I expected it should be based on our usage since installation.
And,I'm white and personally know no one in the current department or administration or on the council. We are nicely comfortable but not among the wealthiest and both retired.
We do have only a consistent record of paying our bills in a timely fashion (all of them) to commend us for selection. I have zero reason to think that mattered but it's the only thing that could have.
Have you not noticed in the recent mid-term election results that not all of us Americans enjoy political drama, negativity, fear mongering paranoia,
cattiness or speculation or junvenile behavior in politics? Indeed, we judge people on behavior telling us most about honesty and character, and try to find the most reliable information available to us. It's called being rational not emotional or gullible. And, we are no man or party's puppets!

Anonymous said...

When Mayor Johnson was holding all the high cards, he didn't want any interference from outsiders, just their money.

Now that Mayor Lumumba has only one card left to play, he still doesn't want any interference from outsiders, just their money.

Anonymous said...

Jackson didn’t want to regionalize the airport, the others did. Jackson Claimed it was racially motivated - yawn. Guess anything needs to be run totally into the ground before Jackson ask others to clean up the mess.


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