Thousands of residents of Jackson, Mississippi are left without clean water after a snowstorm hit in the South on February 15, 2021. The record breaking snowstorm has damaged the capital’s water plant resulting in not only no clean water but also no running water at all. The capital’s water plant gets damaged each time they have a snowstorm but so far this has been the longest running time that Jackson has been without water ever.
There’s no excess to clean water for them to drink and it’s also not safe to even bathe in it. Residents are both spending a great amount of money on water at grocery stores daily and having to boil the water they gather up at home. Water is being gathered and boiled so they can brush their teeth, wash dishes and be able to drink it. The governor of Mississippi has yet to help them. Instead people in the community, churches, and leaders have stepped in to help provide the community with clean water.
Jackson is the largest city in Mississippi and has the largest population of black people in the state. Black people make up over 80% of the population in Jackson, Mississippi. It’s no surprise that the reason why Jackson is the only city in the state of Mississippi whose water hasn’t been fixed is because of the large number of Black and African Americans in Jackson specifically. It’s just as much a race problem as it is a humanitarian crisis. On top of being in the middle of a pandemic right now residents of Jackson, Mississippi are also facing a water crisis that they have to deal with as well. It is strongly encouraged that we all continue to pray for the people who live in Jackson and to help out in any way if we can.
NNV News Blog Writer Sister Tynnetta R. Muhammad
