JACKSON, Miss., (Reuters) – Seven new distribution sites opened in Mississippi’s state capital yesterday to dispense bottled water to people who have been without clean tap water since the city’s long-troubled treatment plant failed four days ago.
While residents continued to line up at distribution sites and grocery stores in Jackson for bottled water, the city said “significant gains” had been made overnight in repairing the O.B. Curtis Water Plant. Complications from recent floodwaters knocked the plant offline on Monday night.
“There are some challenges remaining to navigate over the next few days, but the outlook for today is currently continued progress,” the city said in a statement. It said limited water pressure had returned to some areas.
Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves said 600 members of the National Guard would be deployed to the new water distribution sites through the city and surrounding area of 180,000 affected people.