This is an aerial view of of the City of Jackson's O.B. Curtis Water Plant, Thursday, Sept. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
- During a recent Jackson City Council meeting, members voiced frustration about having a member each from Byram and Ridgeland on the Authority but neither city having a financial obligation to the water system.
Governor Tate Reeves (R) signed off on the creation of a water authority to oversee the problem-plagued JXN Water on Tuesday when he signed a bill opposed by many Jackson area politicians.
The bill, known as the Jackson Metro Water Authority Act, would create a nine-member board to oversee Jackson’s water systems.
The Governor’s Office said Reeves wants to ensure the citizens of Jackson have “clean, reliable water.”
“This legislation helps accomplish that. He was happy to sign it into law,” the Governor’s Office said.
Jackson’s water crisis started in 2022 when there was a complete system failure. The system went into federal receivership in 2023, and Ted Henifin was named third-party administrator. Since then, legal and verbal battles between JXN Water and the city have made headlines.
The new law is not without controversy. Several Jackson-area elected officials believe the capital city should hold the majority of seats on the Authority, as the capital city is responsible for operating the water system.
The makeup of the 9-member Authority consists of three members appointed by the Mayor of Jackson, one appointed by the Mayor of Byram, one appointed by the Mayor of Ridgeland, one appointed by the governor in consultation with the Mayor of Jackson, one appointed by the Lt. Governor, and two appointed by the governor.
Before the bill became law, Jackson Mayor John Horhn (D) said the city is grateful for the Legislature’s help, but he believes there are more questions than answers about “accountability, debt service, and long-term management of the system.” One of the big questions he outlined in a late March press release is what happens when disagreements pop up.
“The City remains concerned that if the Authority and the Mayor or City Council do not agree, the bill does not clearly establish how major decisions will be made or who will bear responsibility if the Authority cannot generate enough revenue to meet its obligations,” Horhn opined.
During a recent Jackson City Council meeting, members voiced frustration about having a member each from Byram and Ridgeland on the Authority but neither city having a financial obligation to the water system.
That frustration was echoed by Jackson-area State Senator Hillman Frazier (D) earlier this week when he expressed concern about the City of Jackson maintaining the cost of operating a multi-million-dollar enterprise without help from surrounding areas that receive water from the city’s water plants.
“[Byram and Ridgeland] should carry some of the accountability and debt,” he said.
The law calls for all appointments to be made by May 1, but there are already questions about whether that can be achieved.
JXN Water has said that it will now wait and see how the court will view the new law and establish the transition.
