The local Catholic Charities group is giving bottled water amid a water crisis impacting Jackson, the state’s capital.
Water bottles were provided by Catholic Charities of Jackson on Thursday, and they will do so once again on Friday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. CT from their offices at 850 E. River Place, Jackson, MS, 39202.
Catholic Charities’ Disaster Response team is now working with the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MSEMA) to establish a water distribution station and helping evacuated families as a consequence of the Pearl River flooding, the organisation said in a statement to CNA on Wednesday.
When floods on the Pearl River, which flows through the city, destroyed the pumps at a significant water treatment facility last week, Jackson’s water supply was badly affected.
For the metropolis of 180,000 people, September 1 was the fourth day with little or no flowing water.
Due to worries about the water quality, the city had been under a boil order for more than a month previously.
A prompt resolution to the water problem is requested in prayers, according to Bishop Joseph Kopacz of the Diocese of Jackson.
In a statement to CNA, Kopacz stated, “We are glad that President Biden, Governor Tate Reeves, and Jackson Mayor Chokwe Lumumba are working together to fix the water crisis in Jackson.
“We hope for long-term remedies to this issue as well as a prompt action to restore water supply to all Jackson residences and businesses.”
Chokwe Antar Lumumba, the mayor of Jackson, told CNN on Wednesday that he believes citizens will have access to water this week. The local university and the city’s public schools have all turned to distance education.
On Wednesday, President Joe Biden authorised the declaration of an emergency for Jackson.