Jackson Jambalaya

 The Clarion – Ledger reported on the lead problems in Jackson's water system. The article started on a decent enough track but then the newspaper help itself as it picked up the social justice spear and tramped through a jungle of ignorance. The newspaper reported last week: 

 After striking out with the Biden EPA, the Jackson NAACP and other plaintiffs accuse the state of Mississippi of intentionally crippling Jackson's water/sewer system by depriving the City of Jackson of much-needed funding in a federal lawsuit.  

Now it's JJ's turn to tell the REST of the story. 

Much has been said in the media about the Jackson water crisis by reporters who are experts on everything and knowledgeable about nothing.  They blame the flooding of the O.B. Curtis plant, white flight, racism, and a mean ole legislature that refuses to help Jackson.  Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba wasn't about to discourage such tales of woe as he sought to avoid any responsibility for the catastrophe that happened on his watch.  Well, perhaps it's time to tell the real story of how the Jackson water treatment system fell apart, media be damned.

The Sisters of the Order of Rukia are going to get a seat at the table in the Jackson water case.  U.S. District  Judge Henry Wingate approved the Poor People's Campaign and People's Assembly motion to intervene in the Jackson water case.  They filed a complaint asking the Court to give them oversight of the water system through a "community water board."  

 Judge Wingate held a status update on the Jackson water system that lasted all day Wednesday  Much was discussed, including JXN Water's proposed rate hike.  Instead of publishing one monster post, JJ is breaking the proceedings down into more manageable bites.  

Jackson's water system has made much progress but might go back to where it once was if allowed to go broke again.  So said JXN Water Manager Ted Henifin in federal court Wednesday.  

 Vice News joined the pile-up on Jackson's winter water crisis and just like the rest of the national media, it had one simple answer: racism.  Vice's Alexis Johnson visited the city with her agenda and left with what she wanted: a story blaming you know who for Jackson's water problems. 

Health Department officials worried a year ago that Jackson's water system would implode - and implode it did seven months later.  An internal email reveals the lies, neglect, and plain ole incompetence that plagued Jackson's water treatment plants continued long after the EPA came calling last year. 

 There was much sound but little fury in a federal courtroom last week after U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate ordered Jackson Mayor Chokwe Lumumba and Water Manager Ted Henifin to appear before him to discuss whether the Mayor implied Jackson's water was not safe at a June 14 press conference.

 Attorney Robert Gibbs issued the following statement.

The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following statement.

JSU and JXN Water squared off in federal court yesterday.  JSU wants to install three water tanks and create a back-up water system on the JSU campus. Unfortunately for JSU, JXN Water will not approve the plan since it could potentially contaminate the JXN Water system.  Through it all, the wisened U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate sat in judgment.  

 The Lumumbas' attempt to bully Jackson's Water Manager ended in total failure Friday as U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate say no way, Chokwe.

Jackson Water Manager Ted Henifin said in his quarterly report that the main cause of the Christmas water crisis was failure at the O.B. Curtis Water Treatment Plant.  It was yet another shutdown in an ever-lengthening list of shutdowns at the plant.  

 Despite Judge Wingate's butt-whupping a few weeks ago, the Sisters of Rukia launched another attack on JXN Water Manager Ted Henifin yesterday as the Poor People's Campaign and People's Advocacy Institute filed a complaint against Jackson's water receiver with the EPA.  The complaint is posted below.  

 Collection of all posts on EPA order.

 EPA representatives vaguely discussed an EPA order  at the Jackson City Council meeting Tuesday. The EPA issued the Emergency Administrative Order against the city's water treatment system after it found a pattern of neglect, malfunctioning equipment, and incompetence when it inspected Jackson's water treatment plants a year ago.  Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba hid the existence of the order until the media reported it a few weeks ago.  The EPA provided hardly any new information Tuesday while City Council members refused to ask questions. 

The Mayor tried to get JXN Water Manager Ted Henifin in trouble with the EPA, oh how he tried.  For all of his troubles however, the EPA blew off Mayor Lumumba.  

The EPA inspected Jackson's water treatment plants a little over a year ago and found them to be quite wanting.  Chronically malfunctioning equipment, neglected detectors, and vacant key positions were just a few of the problems EPA discovered at the O.B. Curtis and Fewell water treatment plants.  Even the crucial UV devices that disinfect the water were offline for weeks at a time.  EPA saw enough and issued an Emergency Administrative Order against Jackson on March 27, 2020.

Collection of all posts on EPA order.  

 The EPA found a pattern of neglect, malfunctioning equipment, and good ole-fashioned incompetence when it inspected Jackson's water treatment plants a year ago.  The agency issued an Emergency Administrative Order against the city a year ago.  However, the EPA issued an inspection report as well.  The report provides more information than the order.  Upon reading it, it is hard to escape the conclusion that Jackson's water treatment plants were a disaster waiting to happen.  Unfortunately, the disaster did indeed happen in February when the water system failed during the ice storm, leaving some residents without water service for nearly a month. 

Jerry Mitchell authored this article for the Mississippi Center for Investigative Reporting. It is reprinted with his permission.  

The number one thing the city of Jackson needs to do to solve its water crisis?

  Collection of all posts on EPA Emergency Order

The pattern of neglect and disrepair continued at Jackson's water treatment plants in the weeks after the EPA ordered Jackson to immediately repair the plants last year.  While EPA demanded action, Jackson provided vague answers as it missed deadlines.