According to Gov. Tate Reeves, more than 150,000 people could be without clean water in Jackson due to the latest water crisis.
As the water saga continues, many are curious: “Where do Jackson and surrounding communities get their water?”
Here’s a look at where each city’s water comes from and how it is distributed.
Jackson:According to public health officials, Jackson’s water sources come from the Ross Barnett Reservoir and the Pearl River. The water is treated and provided to residents in Jackson through two drinking water facilities, O. B. Curtis Water Plant and J. H. Fewell Water Treatment Plant.
Madison:The city of Madison’s water sources come from four locations that are treated at local wells and distributed to residents, according to the Water Supply District in Madison. The four locations are Cotten Hill well, Hoy Road, Liberty Park, and Hwy 51. A sandstone aquifer sits hundreds of feet below the city. Bear Creek Water Association, Inc. also serves the south region of Madison County.
Brandon:The city of Brandon has four elevated water tanks, and 10 water wells from groundwater sources called the Sparta and Cockfield formation aquifers. Brandon has thirty-three lift stations to pump wastewater and transport it to the West Rankin Utility Authority for treatment.
Ridgeland:Ridgeland’s drinking water supply system is isolated from the Jackson water system. Ridgeland’s water source is two deep-water supply wells in the Cockfield Aquifer and four deep-water supply wells in the Sparta Aquifer. Ridgeland, like all cities, routinely tests for contaminants in drinking water distributed to residents.
Flowood:According to its website, the water sources in Flowood come from two wells, the Cockfield Formation and Sparta Sand Aquifer. A water assessment is completed for the public water system to determine its drinking water supply’s overall susceptibility to identified potential contamination sources.
Clinton:The City of Clinton’s water supply comes from two groundwater sources, the Sparta and Cockfield aquifers. The water is pumped from 10 deep wells, six pulling from the Sparta and four from the Cockfield aquifers. Clinton has five elevated storage tanks with a combined capacity of 2.9 million gallons of drinking water.
Byram:Byram buys its water from the city of Jackson. According to Mayor Richard White, the city of Byram’s surface water is pumped from Jackson’s O.B. Curtis Water Plant. Byram also has six wells that pump additional water to residents.
Canton:One of the water sources that the Canton gets its water supply from is the Bear Creek Water Association, Inc., according to its website. The Association has almost 19,000 water connections and more than 7,000 sewer connections. Bear Creek Water Association is the second largest water provider in central Mississippi, serving rural areas.
Flora:According to Flora officials, its water source has three well pumps purified through an aquifer. The city does not receive any water from water plants.
