Jackson Jambalaya

 JXN Water issued the following statement. 

JXN Water continues to work diligently to ensure all customers are paying their bills — a priority for JXN Water, Judge Wingate, the City of Jackson, and the many customers who already pay their water bills on time, every month.

Changing a culture of non-payment that has developed over the past decade is a difficult task. Many customers have not been accustomed to paying their water bills on time or facing disconnection for non-payment. In the past two weeks, however, JXN Water has accelerated enforcement, disconnecting more than 1,000 accounts that were more than 60 days past due. A pace that is necessary as a needed rate increase is currently held up by the Court until JXN Water increases the number of people paying their accounts. There are thousands more accounts queued for shut off between now and the end of the year.  

We know that these efforts are putting added strain on our systems. Call volumes have increased, requiring us to expand our call center staff by 50%. Even with additional resources, waiting times have risen above our usual average of 2 minutes. Still, the fastest way to resolve account issues is to establish an online account through our Digital Self-Service portal. However, we ask for patience as we continue to staff up to meet the increased need for assistance.

In addition, improvements to JXNWater.com are underway to allow customers to self-report if they are using water but are not receiving a bill, in direct response to Judge Wingate’s order. These improvements will launch next week and will help reduce unnecessary shutoffs, provided customers take advantage of the tools available. A new web-based process will also allow customers to request an in-person review of their accounts.

Our message is simple: if you are behind on your water bill, we encourage you to make a payment now to avoid disconnection. And if you are using water without an account, please take steps to set one up online or by phone so we can ensure your service continues without interruption.