The Jackson Mississippi Water Crisis: Causes and Solutions
Faculty Mentor
E.D. Dascher
Presentation Type
Poster
Start Date
4-14-2026 11:30 AM
End Date
4-14-2026 1:30 PM
Location
PUB NCR
Primary Discipline of Presentation
Urban and Regional Planning
Abstract
Jackson, Mississippi, has become a prominent example of contemporary environmental injustice in the United States, as persistent failures in its municipal water system have repeatedly left residents without reliable access to safe drinking water. In August 2022, the city experienced a major water crisis when flooding and equipment failures at the O.B. Curtis Water Treatment Plant, Jackson’s primary treatment facility, resulted in a citywide loss of water pressure and potable water for 40 days. This crisis was not an isolated event, but rather the culmination of decades of infrastructure deterioration and chronic underinvestment. Since the 1970s, Jackson has experienced significant population decline and fiscal strain associated with racially patterned suburbanization and white flight. These demographic and economic shifts reduced the city’s tax base, limiting its capacity to maintain and upgrade critical water infrastructure. Today, Jackson has a median household income of approximately $43,000 and a population that is 82% Black, placing the city among the largest majority-Black municipalities in the United States. Jackson’s water system relies primarily on two aging treatment facilities: the J.H. Fewell Water Treatment Plant, completed in 1914, and the O.B. Curtis Water Treatment Plant, completed in 1990. Both facilities have experienced repeated damage and operational challenges, reflecting long-term maintenance deficits and aging infrastructure. Estimates suggest that restoring the system to reliable, fully functional operation could require an estimated two billion dollars. For Jackson, one of the poorest major cities in one of the poorest U.S. states, addressing this infrastructure crisis will require sustained collaboration among municipal, state, and federal governments. Long-term solutions must focus not only on repairing the physical water system but also on rebuilding public trust and ensuring equitable access to safe, reliable drinking water for the city’s residents.
Recommended Citation
Carlson, Adam, "The Jackson Mississippi Water Crisis: Causes and Solutions" (2026). 2026 Symposium. 47.
https://dc.ewu.edu/srcw_2026/ps_2026/p2_2026/47
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
The Jackson Mississippi Water Crisis: Causes and Solutions
PUB NCR
Jackson, Mississippi, has become a prominent example of contemporary environmental injustice in the United States, as persistent failures in its municipal water system have repeatedly left residents without reliable access to safe drinking water. In August 2022, the city experienced a major water crisis when flooding and equipment failures at the O.B. Curtis Water Treatment Plant, Jackson’s primary treatment facility, resulted in a citywide loss of water pressure and potable water for 40 days. This crisis was not an isolated event, but rather the culmination of decades of infrastructure deterioration and chronic underinvestment. Since the 1970s, Jackson has experienced significant population decline and fiscal strain associated with racially patterned suburbanization and white flight. These demographic and economic shifts reduced the city’s tax base, limiting its capacity to maintain and upgrade critical water infrastructure. Today, Jackson has a median household income of approximately $43,000 and a population that is 82% Black, placing the city among the largest majority-Black municipalities in the United States. Jackson’s water system relies primarily on two aging treatment facilities: the J.H. Fewell Water Treatment Plant, completed in 1914, and the O.B. Curtis Water Treatment Plant, completed in 1990. Both facilities have experienced repeated damage and operational challenges, reflecting long-term maintenance deficits and aging infrastructure. Estimates suggest that restoring the system to reliable, fully functional operation could require an estimated two billion dollars. For Jackson, one of the poorest major cities in one of the poorest U.S. states, addressing this infrastructure crisis will require sustained collaboration among municipal, state, and federal governments. Long-term solutions must focus not only on repairing the physical water system but also on rebuilding public trust and ensuring equitable access to safe, reliable drinking water for the city’s residents.
