Jackson, Mississippi, will go without reliable drinking water indefinitely, officials said on Monday, after pumps at the main water treatment plant failed, leading to the emergency distribution of bottled water and tanker trucks for 180,000 people.
The city linked the failure to complications from the flooding of the Pearl River, but Governor Tate Reeves, who declared a state of emergency, said the cause was unknown and that the city-run water treatment plant had been poorly operated and understaffed for years.
"Do not drink the water," Reeves told a hastily called news conference. "In too many cases, it is raw water from the reservoir being pushed through the pipes." "Until it is if fixed, it means we do not have reliable running water at scale. It means the city cannot produce enough water to fight fires, to reliably flush toilets, and to meet other critical needs," Reeves said.
Reeves said he did not invite Lumumba to Monday's news conference and said, "I can't comment on what effect the flooding may or may not have had."
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