Jackson water crisis exposes consequences of aging infrastructure

Geoff Bennett:

A boil water notice was lifted Thursday in Mississippi's capital city of Jackson after nearly seven weeks, starting late last month, heavy rains and flooding created problems at the city's main water plant. It left residents with no access to clean running water. But many people in Jackson said problems with the water have persisted for years.

Belinda Travis, Jackson Resident:

We are taxpaying citizens. So, we shouldn't have to live like this. This is like, I say, this has been going on for years and years.

Shirley Harrington, Jackson Resident:

I've been in foreign countries where they offer you wine to drink because they don't have water to drink. I've been in places where there is rationing of water, not just on some superficial crisis bases, but it's a normal way of life. But not in the United States. This should not be happening in the land of plenty.

Geoff Bennett:

We're joined now by Lieutenant General Russel Honore, who led the military relief efforts after Hurricane Katrina. It's great to have you with us.

LT. Gen. Russel Honore, (Ret.) Former Commander, Joint Task Force Katrina:

It's good to be with you.

Geoff Bennett:

So, if you were to do an after-action report, sir, on Jackson's water crisis, what would you highlight? What should they have done to avoid what was a preventable infrastructure crisis?

Russel Honore:

It reminds me, if I may, just reflect for a minute that the damage that was done during Katrina and the damage that was done Hurricane Sandy and Harvey and Maria in Puerto Rico was a weather event that attacked aging infrastructure. For decades now, that that water system has been at risk from a winter storm a year ago, to a boil water earlier throughout the summer, and then the heavy rains came and the Pearl River press that water system.

So, what could be done now is make sure that the Pearl River is controlled by the Corps of Engineers, where it does not flood out that the intake to the Kurdish water plant. But we're here to talk about drinking water. That being said, deferred maintenance, understaffing, absence of technical and support from the state and federal government in helping the city to maintain the system. But now that we have a declaration on the first team is in there, and the water pressure is up. But there are many quiet cautions to people who are about to drink that water to pregnant women and children. So, this portion is out there. But I think that's the main thing is aging infrastructure. And Jackson is not the only city with that problem.

Geoff Bennett:

But on this issue of deferred maintenance that you mentioned, Jackson's mayor said the city's water problems come from that issue, decades of deferred maintenance, just putting it off. Should the federal government take a more active role if local officials can't or won't do what's needed?

Russel Honore:

Yes, I mean, the federal government is there. But they're basically waiting for the city to ask them for help, as opposed to saying this need to be changed, this need to be changed. We've got a federal declaration, let's get it done. The procedure but the federal government all agencies that are three letter and foldout agencies, is it well, the state needs to ask for it if they want it. And that's unfortunate. And we hoped it'd be more proactive right now to go through a testing cycle with a boil of water. But I would hope the federal government would be more proactive.

The other thing is right now they've — may I use that term, they fixed it. In other words, like a tire that goes out, you put a plug in it. OK, it's not leaking, it's holding water. But does that tire need to be replaced? And there are a lot of parts in that plant need to be replaced. And the federal government has put a 90 day. I hope they extend that out for six months, because it will take at least that long to stabilize that system where the people have confidence in the water. Because right now two people we've talked about it right, they don't have competence that the water is safe to drink. And the federal government need to pay 100% of the parts, every governor really try to solve this problem as opposed to 75%. When Mississippi was broken, 40% of Mississippi budget come from the federal government.

Geoff Bennett:

Well, to your point and I mean, this is not just happening in Jackson there was drinking water contamination issues in Baltimore. We all know about the water crisis in Flint and when you talk about Mississippi being one of the poorest states in the U.S., you know, there is a parallel here to what you experienced post Katrina, it is the poorest communities in this country that are always last in line for help.

Russel Honore:

Absolutely. You know, we've always said in this community I live in, that drinking water is human right. And we're getting to a point where Jackson, we had the same problem with Flint. Flint was a man-made problem, in that it made decisions to use the same body of water that they knew was contaminated.

In Jackson, the deferred maintenance and the weakness of the plant was exposed by the flooding of the Pearl River. So, this was exacerbated by a weather event that really uncovered the worst conditions that could be put on that plant being stressed by the heavy water coming out of the Pearl River and the flushing out of the intake valves where the plant wouldn't work. And Mississippi deserved better. The people of Jackson deserve better.

Geoff Bennett:

As you point out, this crisis is not fully over there, was a state health department official who said that there are concerns about copper and lead levels in the Jackson drinking water. He advises people against using city water to prepare baby formula. What's the best most equitable way to distribute bottled water to folks? I mean, lots of working people don't have the luxury of time to wait in their cars hours on end to get water from FEMA or the National Guard?

Russel Honore:

My experience goes back to New Orleans, my experience goes back to leaning and brigade in Egyptian desert. Water distribution is hard. On any given day, on a clear sky, the water distribution is hard. And NGOs on the ground have done a fantastic job of filling that gap, of taking it to help people and people who do not have cars. But I hope FEMA keeps sending water and just hand it to the NGOs on the ground. They'll get the water to the people. But I don't understand why the governor is cutting off the distribution pipe because water is hard to do. It's heavy, is bulky, and you got to use those godforsaken plastic bottles, because that's all we've got to be able to get it to people to use. But with those cautions, I hope they continue to provide the water to the people.

Geoff Bennett:

Lieutenant General Russel Honore, it's always good to speak with you, sir. I appreciate you for your insights.

Russel Honore:

God bless Jackson, God bless America.