Ted Henifin has been appointed as the water system’s Third Party Administrator, and we have enjoyed building a working relationship with him since the start of the emergency. Mr. Henifin has been instrumental in lending his expertise to our recovery thus far. This agreement allows us to work collaboratively with someone we trust to make smart choices for the city’s drinking water system and ensure that we can provide safe, clean and sustainable drinking water for all.
The public release of the previously confidential agreement will now allow us to move forward with more robust community engagement around the mid- to long-term recovery plan and begin making the necessary changes to address challenges such as increasing the number of water plant operators, conducting consistent and immediate repair and maintenance at our water plants, and hopefully issuing fewer boil water notices. The agreement is another step in a long process and is a collective effort that ensures Jacksonians will not be forgotten, and that our ultimate goal of creating a sustainable water system, will be realized.
I want to thank our state and federal partners, especially EPA Administrator Michael Regan, for their ongoing advocacy and support as we work toward long-term recovery and sustainability. We hope that this collaborative effort to repair, replace and modernize Jackson’s water infrastructure will become a national model for other U.S. cities facing similar issues.”