For Immediate Release:
August 4, 2022
(Jackson, Miss.) – Customers on the City of Jackson’s surface water system remain under a boil water notice until further notice. The advisory includes all City of Jackson surface water connections including areas of Byram and Hinds County.
Water samples taken Wednesday revealed a higher than standard level of turbidity (cloudiness) caused by the use of lime to increase pH levels. Samples showed a turbidity level of 3.5 turbidity units. This is above the standard of .30 turbidity units. While lime does not affect the filters or filtering process, the turbidity created by the lime increases the chance that the water may contain disease-causing organisms.
This is a precautionary advisory. This notice does not mean that your water is unsafe, but it does mean you must take precaution and boil your water before use. All customers are advised to boil their drinking water. Water should be brought to a rolling boil for one minute for the following: cooking or baking, making ice cubes, taking medication, brushing teeth, washing food, mixing baby formula, mixing juices or drinks, feeding pets, washing dishes and all other consumption.
The City continues to distribute cases of bottled water to residents in need on a daily basis while the boil water notice remains in effect. The use of lime is being monitored to ensure consistent levels are maintained. The cause of the treatment lapse has been identified and improvements are being made at the O.B. Curtis Water Treatment Plant to address the issue and decrease the possibility of a repeat occurrence.
RESIDENTS WILL BE NOTIFIED IMMEDIATELY WHEN THE ADVISORY IS LIFTED. For more information, customers may call 601-960-2723 during business hours or 601-960-1875 after 4 p.m. and on weekends. General guidelines on ways to lessen the risk of infection by microbes are available from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791.
The City will continue to take water samples and provide updates once testing is completed.