Jackson to get first round of $600 million in federal funds

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced this week the City of Jackson, Miss., will receive $115 million to support critical water infrastructure investments that will help ensure safe and reliable drinking water for residents.

The funding comes from a $600 million Congressional appropriation for Jackson championed by President Joe Biden as part of the 2023 federal budget. With this award and other funding from the president’s Investing in America agenda, EPA says it is delivering on the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to ensuring that all people, including the people of Jackson have access to clean, safe drinking water.

This initial $115 million award to the Jackson Public Water System will be used to stabilize and rebuild the city’s water infrastructure. EPA says these activities include identifying and fixing leaks in the distribution system, developing a system-wide assessment of valves and hydrants, ensuring adequate pumping capacity to maintain water pressure and distribution, and developing a system stabilization and sustainability plan. 

EPA is using its emergency authority under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) Section 1442(b) to award funding to the City of Jackson’s Public Water System. Section 1442(b) allows EPA to make grants to publicly owned water systems to assist in responding to and alleviating emergencies affecting public water systems that are determined to present substantial danger to the public health.

“This historic funding will impact the residents of Jackson in unprecedented ways. I want to thank the Biden-Harris Administration for standing with us and leading the efforts to ensure our community received the necessary funding that has been denied to us for so long,” said Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba. “These funds will help provide relief to Jackson residents, who have suffered decades of water insecurity. This aid helps to restore dignity to our city.”

“I’ve had the privilege of meeting with Jackson residents in their homes, in their churches, and in their schools, and I’ve seen firsthand the water infrastructure challenges they’ve endured for far too long. President Biden and I pledged to do everything in our power to help deliver clean, safe drinking water for the Jackson community, and this action reaffirms our commitment,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “These funds will help stabilize and rebuild the city’s water system and make significant strides to provide reliable water service to people’s homes, schools, and businesses. As I’ve said since the onset of this crisis, we will continue to stand with the people of Jackson and work to resolve this longstanding issue together.