Biden Invests $115M in Funding to Respond to the Drinking Water Emergency in Jackson, Mississippi
Of the $600 million in disaster supplement funding allotted for the City of Jackson, Mississippi under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, the initial $115 million was awarded to the Jackson Public Water System to stabilize and rebuild the city’s water infrastructure. This includes identifying and fixing leaks in the distribution system, developing a system-wide assessment of valves and hydrants, ensuring adequate pumping capacity to maintain water pressure and distribution, and developing a system stabilization and sustainability plan.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), EPA is using its emergency authority under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) Section 1442(b) to award funding to the City of Jackson’s Public Water System. Section 1442(b) allows EPA to make grants to publicly owned water systems to assist in responding to and alleviating emergencies affecting public water systems that are determined to present substantial danger to the public health.
In addition to this appropriation, the City of Jackson and State of Mississippi are eligible for tens of millions of dollars in additional financial support to support water infrastructure upgrades. Many of these programs are part of President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which is advancing environmental justice by ensuring that 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments reach disadvantaged communities that are marginalized and overburdened by pollution and underinvestment.
