[MSE] In the wake of flooding and water pump problems in Jackson,150,000 residents were without adequate water pressure or clean drinking water in the latest round of infrastructure failures.
Bishop Brian Seage wrote in a message on August 31, “…the Diocese of Mississippi is providing funds to New Horizons Church in South Jackson for distribution of water. They’re perfectly positioned to [distribute] water and their location is on Ellis Avenue off Interstate 20.”
Seage added, “We’ll be sending an 18-wheeler. Funding for the truck load has come from Presiding Bishop Curry and my discretionary fund.”
Seage said anyone wishing to contribute for another load, which costs $8000.00 per truck, can make further donations to the bishop’s discretionary fund. On the diocesan website, www.dioms.org, look for “Giving Opportunities.”
According to a report in Mississippi Today on September 1, “The goal is for the pressure at O.B. Curtis [water treatment plant] to reach 87 pounds per square inch (PSI).”
At a press conference, Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba said, “The pressure had climbed back up to 80 PSI Tuesday night [Aug. 30], but fell back to 40 PSI after setbacks on Wednesday.”
Seven days after the current water crisis began, Gov. Tate Reeves held a Labor Day press conference and updated the situation citing that pressure was now restored to all Jackson residents, but could still fluctuate. Also, he said the water is not fit to drink until further testing is done and referred citizens to nine water distribution points in the city.
At the Allin House in Jackson, Seage said, “Our office remains open. We have brownish water and some pressure. Our water pressure [at home] is lower than normal. At this point it’s enough to bathe, wash dishes and laundry.” The pressure should be back to normal as to this writing.
Like many Jackson residents, the Seages are buying water at Costco and Sams, but they haven’t tried using the bottled water distribution points set up by the city and state.
“We feel blessed we can afford to buy water. We also sent jugs of water home with friends who live in other water districts. Some people have no water service at all due to the low pressure,” according to Seage.
On September 1, Bishop Seage and the Rev. Deacon Cathy Halford, coordinator for the diocese’s Disaster Preparation and Response Team, had the first Zoom meeting with Episcopal Relief and Development to discuss “forgotten issues” around this type of crisis.
“We are trying to imagine the long game, not just the immediate need during national media coverage,” Seage wrote.
The Rev. Deacon Halford said, “If there are people unable to get to the distribution locations for drinking water, please get in touch with me. DPRT may be of assistance to you. Episcopal Relief & Development has helped other cities who have experienced this same type of disaster. It is willing and ready to help fund solutions to problems which have been caused by the water outage."
If you or your congregation has questions, please email Cathy Halford at chalford48@yahoo.com.
Article updated September 5, 2022
The Rev. Scott Lenoir is a retired priest in Gautier, MS, and former editor of The Mississippi Episcopalian.
