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Jackson water: Issues with treatment and hot weather

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Boil and conserve: Treatment issues and hot weather put strain on Jackson water

A combination of an ammonia leak and improper treatment has forced all of Jackson’s water customers to boil their water for nearly two weeks straight now. Those boil water notices came only days after the asked to conserve what water they were using because of hotter than average weather.ย 

City of Jackson officials on Thursday did not have a definitive timeline for lifting the boil water notice, but said the service may be back to fully functioning as early as Friday for well system customers, and as early as Saturday for surface system customers.ย 

Officials issued the first citywide notice on June 24, after an ammonia leak as well as filtration issues at the O.B. Curtis water treatment plant forced operators to reduce pressure. While the pressure has been restored, Jackson is still working to answer a second citywide notice that the department issued on June 30.ย 

The issued the notice because โ€œturbidity levels,โ€ or cloudiness, in the water were too high. Turbidity itself isn’t harmful, but high levels mean a higher likelihood of disease-causing organisms, which can lead to symptoms such as nausea, cramps, diarrhea, and associated headaches, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.ย 

City officials explained on Thursday that operators use two chemicals to maintain the pH in the water: soda ash and a lime slurry. At the time, the soda ash operation “was not working,” and operators used too much lime in the treatment, causing the high turbidity.

Jackson residents have now received over 50 boil water notices since the start of 2022, according to the city’s press releases. Only the two recent notices covered the whole city.ย 

On June 21, the city issued a water conservation advisory because of expected hotter than average temperatures this summer, asking residents to take showers instead of baths, only run full loads in dishwashers and laundry machines, among other measures.

The city requires a number of fixes to bring the system as a whole up to par: hiring more operators for its two treatment plants, upgrading equipment at the plants, and replacing aging distribution lines.ย ย 

In May, Jackson announced the construction of a new 48-inch distribution line, using about $8 million of the city’s funds, was underway. The new line is aimed at improving water pressure in the South Jackson, Belhaven, Belhaven Heights, Eastern downtown and I-55 south corridor neighborhoods.

In total, the city has allocated $25 million of the ARPA funds it received for water and sewer improvements. But through county and matching funds the city could an additional $33 million, the Clarion Ledger reported in April.ย 

The city said it plans to distribute bottles of water to residents every day until the boil water notice is lifted.ย 

The notices advise that residents bring their water to a boil for a minute before drinking as well as: cooking or baking, making ice cubes, taking medication, brushing teeth, washing food, mixing baby formula or food, mixing juices or drinks, feeding pets, washing dishes and all other consumption.

This story was produced by Mississippi Today in partnership with the Community Foundation for Mississippi’s local collaborative, which is independently funded in part by Microsoft Corp. The collaborative includesย Mississippi Today, theย Clarion Ledger, theย Jackson Advocate,ย Jackson State University,ย Mississippi Public Broadcastingย andย theย Mississippi Center for Investigative Reporting.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Mississippi News

New month same temperatures

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www.wcbi.com – Ashleigh Bryant – 2024-11-01 17:33:00

SUMMARY: COLUMBUS, Mississippi will experience a return to warmer weather after a brief dip, with highs in the 80s over the next few days. Friday night will be humid, dropping to the low 60s, with possible patchy fog. Saturday will be mostly cloudy but rain chances are reduced, while Sunday will see a mix of clouds and sunshine, with lows in the 60s. Next starts dry with temperatures in the upper 70s to middle 80s; however, scattered showers are possible on Election Day Tuesday, so should prepare with rain gear.

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Mississippi News

Human remains found in Marion County believed to be those of missing man

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www.wjtv.com – Sethanie Smith – 2024-11-01 16:41:00

SUMMARY: Marion County deputies are investigating the discovery of human remains in a wooded area. On November 1, authorities received reports of a vehicle matching the description of one belonging to Delmar Lee Blake, Jr., who went missing in August 2023. Upon locating the vehicle in the Lampton community, investigators searched the area and found the remains, believed to be Blake’s. The remains have been sent to the Mississippi Lab for identification. Deputies do not foul play, and the investigation is ongoing.

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Mississippi News

Mississippi has 3 contested US House races and 1 incumbent without a challenger

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www.wjtv.com – The Associated Press – 2024-11-01 16:10:00

SUMMARY: Mississippi is facing three contested U.S. House elections, while one incumbent, Republican Trent , is unopposed for re-election in the 1st District. Kelly will face Democratic challenger Dianne Dodson Black in a rematch of their 2022 race. In the 2nd District, Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson competes against Republican Ron Eller, focusing on issues like border security and energy production. The 3rd District has Republican Rep. Michael Guest, who is unopposed, while the 4th District features Republican Mike Ezell against Democratic challenger Craig Elliot Raybon, advocating for economic reforms. Each candidate has varied campaign financing levels.

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