Aging water infrastructure poses a risk to drinking water quality across the United States. When infrastructure problems arise, water systems struggle to operate effectively, affecting both water quality and water supply. The recent water crisis in Jackson, Mississippi, serves as a classic example of how badly drinking water supplies can be affected when things go wrong.

Jackson, the capital and most populated city in the state of Mississippi, When it's working efficiently, its public water system delivers potable water to more than 71,000 homes and businesses across the city. However, the drinking water treatment plant has been plagued with problems for many more than a decade. In 2010, the system experience several pipe breaks along the main water line after a storm ripped through the city. The resulting interruption in the water supply led to city hospitals turning to privately owned wells to meet their water needs, which has enabled them to continue providing core emergency services during the current crisis. However, as the majority of the city's residents do not have the luxury of tapping into private wells, access to safe drinking water remains a problem.

In March 2020, after the EPA found Jackson drinking water did not meet the water safety guidelines outlined in the Safe Drinking Water Act , the city's water system was issues with an order to undertake regular maintenance. In February 2021, another storm caused a key water treatment plant to shut down, disrupting the water supply to residents for a month. City officials requested a budget of $47 million to repair the sewer system but only received $3 million. These budget constraints led to the city's water system deteriorating further. A combination of low water pressure and sewage breaches after that storm resulted in the city issuing a boil water order, which was issued again in July 2022 after damage to equipment at the water treatment plant forced operators to revert to backup pumps. The boil water was still in effect when further flooding towards the end of August 2022 caused further disruption to the water supply, resulting in the current water crisis where 150,000 residents don't even have water coming out of their taps that they can boil. 

The city of Jackson has since been declared a disaster area, allowing federal aid and essential resources such as bottled water and hand sanitizer to be sent to the area for distribution amongst residence to help address the crisis. While bottled water can be considered an essential resource at this dire time, it is a short-term fix for long-term problem which is not likely to be resolved anytime soon.

Emergency situations and crises such as this, highlight the importance of investing in a good quality water filtration system that can provide access to safe drinking water for many years to come. Berkey water filters come in a wide range of sizes, catering for small to large size families and budgets. A Berkey water filtration system fitted with Black Berkey purification elements can remove over 200 drinking water contaminants, and can filter water from a wide range of sources (including dirty river water) and convert it into safe drinking water. In the event of a water crisis such as what has unfolded in Jackson, a Berkey will ensure your water needs are met without having to spend hours queuing up for government hand-outs of bottled water.