16 Jackson homes found to have lead in water connections, mayor says

By Michaila Franklin

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    JACKSON, Mississippi (WAPT) — The city of Jackson has discovered that more than two dozen homes have lead in the water lines.

A contract is underway to install about 56,000 new water meters across the city.

“Out of the 23,094 meters, 16 connections — so a very small number — have revealed to have contained lead within those. We are in the process of communicating with those households,” Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba said during a Wednesday briefing.

The mayor said the homes are across the city and not in one particular area. Letters will go out Thursday informing affected residents that the city will replace the lines and offer a filtration system, which the mayor said will make the water safe.

Six of the water lines are on city property and 10 are on property belonging to the homeowners, Lumumba said. City officials said they are service lines that connect to the home, not major water lines.

“It was of some level of alarm to those that were doing the installation and they brought it to our attention, and we brought it to the residents’ attention,” Lumumba said. “We’re concerned about (the residents) and that’s why we’re responding. We’re being proactive and remediating this and making it a high priority.”

The city has had ongoing water system problems, which led to a state of emergency and a federal disaster declaration to repair the O.B. Curtis Water Plant. Water service has been restored and a state-issued boil water advisory was lifted. Long-term solutions are being considered by local, state and federal authorities.

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