ICYMI: President Biden Announces $115 Million for Jackson, Mississippi Water Infrastructure

President Biden today announced an initial $115 million investment for Jackson, Mississippi's water infrastructure – the first of $600 million that will go toward stabilizing and repairing the city's aging water system. Last summer, the city experienced a major flood that aggravated Jackson's already vulnerable water system, leaving tens of thousands of people without running water for days.

Today's announcement builds on progress made under President Biden's leadership to ensure that all Americans have access to clean, safe drinking water. Thanks to his Investing in America agenda, the federal government is already deploying record resources to communities all across America to replace lead pipes, improve water quality, and rebuild the Nation's drinking water infrastructure, ensuring it can withstand the impacts of the climate crisis.

Read coverage below:

theGrio: President Biden announces $115 million for Jackson, Mississippi water crisis
"For years, the people of Jackson, Mississippi, have suffered the consequences of aging water infrastructure," said President Biden in a statement released to theGrio.Gerren Keith Gaynor[Gerren Keith Gaynor, 6/6/23]

President Joe Biden is awarding $115 million to support needed investments to rebuild Jackson, Mississippi's water infrastructure, theGrio is first to report.

Jackson, a majority-Black city of nearly 150,000 residents, is in a state of rebuilding after its water system nearly collapsed last summer due to major flooding and years of infrastructure neglect. […]

The federal government has stepped in to assist the state with emergency support and technical assistance. […]

"For years, the people of Jackson, Mississippi, have suffered the consequences of aging water infrastructure," said President Biden in a statement released to theGrio. "All Americans deserve access to clean, safe drinking water. That's why I directed my Administration to make sure the people of Jackson have the resources they need and deserve."

Mitch Landrieu, senior advisor to President Biden and coordinator for the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, told theGrio that the initial $115 million award would immediately hit the ground in Jackson. […]
Biden said that while progress has been made to repair Jackson's water system, "there is much more work to do to ensure that all Americans have access to clean water."

He continued, "Thanks to my Investing in America agenda, we're already deploying record resources to communities all across America to replace lead pipes, improve water quality, and rebuild the Nation's drinking water infrastructure, ensuring it can withstand the impacts of the climate crisis."
The president added, "Until all our children can safely drink water from the tap, our fight for clean water must, and will, continue."

Clarion Ledger: Joe Biden announces first funds for Jackson water system. See what it will be used for
[Wicker Perlis, 6/6/23]

[…] The Environmental Protection Agency and President Joe Biden announced Tuesday that the city, through its federally appointed third party water manager and the corporation he oversees, will be receiving $115 million of that total.

According to an EPA news release, this batch of funds will be used for 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. The wider $600 million was approved by Congress in the 2023 Federal budget and is distributed by the EPA under the authority of the Safe Drinking Water Act.

"For years, the people of Jackson, Mississippi, have suffered the consequences of aging water infrastructure. Last summer, the city's water system reached a crisis point when a major flood aggravated longstanding problems in the system and left tens of thousands of people without any running water for days on end. Long before then, families in Jackson lived under the constant threat of boil water orders," Biden said in a statement Tuesday. "All Americans deserve access to clean, safe drinking water. That's why I directed my Administration to make sure the people of Jackson have the resources they need and deserve." […]

According to the EPA release, Jackson could be able to bring down even more federal dollars, on top of the $600 million. Henifin said he'd never turn down more funding, but his confidence in doing his job will not be reliant on more funding.

WLBT 3: White House, EPA announce first $115M in federal funding on its way to fix Jackson water
[Anthony Warren, 6/6/23]

The first $115 million in federal funds allocated for the capital city's water system are on the way.
On Tuesday, the Environmental Protection Agency announced the city would receive the first tranche of the $600 million in Congressional appropriations approved in December.[…]

"The president said very early, you know, 'I want to send a team down there.' He sent FEMA down. He sent the Corps of Engineers down. I came down with a team of folks in partnership with the EPA. The [EPA] administrator has been down there numerous times," [senior advisor for the president] Landrieu said. "We're in fairly regular touch with the mayor and the [Rep. Bennie Thompson] and, of course, the state as well to try to do everything we can as part of the president's... commitment, not just to Jackson, but the people of America, to make sure that we have clean air and safe water."

The funds are just a portion of the federal dollars awarded to Jackson to help with water. In addition to the $600 million allocated through the omnibus spending bill, another $100 million was allocated to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to address water and sewer needs, while another $100 million was authorized through the Water Resources Development Act.

WLBT (NBC Jackson, MS): White House, EPA announce first $115M in federal funding on its way to fix Jackson water
[Anthony Warren, 6/6/23]

The first $115 million in federal funds allocated for the capital city's water system are on the way.
On Tuesday, the Environmental Protection Agency announced the city would receive the first tranche of the $600 million in Congressional appropriations approved in December.

"For years, the people of Jackson, Mississippi, have suffered the consequences of aging water infrastructure. Last summer, the city's water system reached a crisis point when a major flood aggravated longstanding problems in the system and left tens of thousands of people without any running water for days on end. Long before then, families in Jackson lived under the constant threat of boil water orders," President Joe Biden said in a statement.

"That's why I directed my administration to make sure the people of Jackson have the resources they need and deserve."

WAPT (ABC Jackson, MS): First $115M received from feds to pay for repairs to Jackson's water system
[Cecil Hannibal, 6/6/23]

The president issued a statement Tuesday announcing the first allotment of funding for Jackson's water system.

"In December, I was proud to sign bipartisan legislation to help stabilize Jackson's drinking water infrastructure and protect against future crises. Today, as a result of that legislation, I am announcing an initial $115 million investment towards repairing the city's water infrastructure challenges and delivering clean water for all," Biden said.

The president praised U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, a Democrat from Bolton, who he said has been "steadfast leader in times of crisis" and a strong advocate for Mississippi and the Jackson community.

CNN Politics: Biden announces initial $115 million investment in Jackson, Mississippi, water infrastructure
[Nikki Carvajal, 6/6/23]

More than $100 million in funding has been distributed for repairs to Jackson, Mississippi's beleaguered water system, President Joe Biden announced Tuesday, the first tranche of more than half a billion dollars appropriated by Congress. […]

Biden wrote the "initial $115 million investment" in Jackson's water infrastructure would come from funding provided by 2022's sweeping omnibus spending bill. The bill includes a total of $600 million for the city's water system, which suffered a catastrophic breakdown last year. […]

The Hill: Biden administration announces $115M to upgrade Jackson, Miss., water infrastructure
[Zack Budryk, 6/6/23]

The White House announced Tuesday that the Biden administration will award $115 million to Jackson, Miss., to upgrade the decaying water infrastructure that has led to multiple water crises in recent years.
In the statement, President Biden credited bipartisan legislation he signed in December for the funds, singling out the work of Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), who represents most of the Jackson area. […]

The Washington Post: Biden administration sending $115 million to address Jackson, Miss., water crisis
[Amy B. Wang, 6/6/23]

President Biden on Tuesday announced his administration was sending $115 million in funding to repair the water infrastructure in Jackson, Miss., where long-standing issues in the system have plagued the city for years and left residents last summer without running water for days.

Jackson's long-neglected water infrastructure had already meant "the constant threat of boil water orders" for the residents in Mississippi's capital city, Biden noted Tuesday. But Jackson's water crisis reached a critical point last summer when extreme flooding caused the city's main water treatment plant to fail.

"While we have made a lot of progress, there is much more work to do to ensure that all Americans have access to clean water," Biden said. "Until all our children can safely drink water from the tap, our fight for clean water must, and will, continue."

CNN Transcript:

ADMINISTRATOR REGAN: "We are excited to be able to make this announcement. You know, the President worked very hard with Congress and secured over $600 million through an appropriation specifically for Jackson. And today, we're announcing our first round of $115 million. It will go towards continuing to stabilize this system. It will go to plugging some of the leaks in the distribution system, shoring up that integrity, ensuring that the pressure continues to stay at a certain rate. You know, obviously there's a lot of work and a lot of investments that have to happen over the coming months and years, but this is a significant shot in the arm." [CNN, 6/6/23]

The Black Wall Street Times: Biden Allocates $115 Million to Rebuild Jackson's Water System
President Biden allocates $115M to rebuild Jackson, MS water infrastructure, ensuring safe drinking water for the city, per theGrio.
[The Black Wall Street Times, 6/6/23]

President Joe Biden allocates $115 Million to Rebuild Jackson's Water System $115 million to support crucial investments in the reconstruction of Jackson, Mississippi's water infrastructure, the Grio reveals. These federal funds are part of the $600 million approved by Congress last year through appropriations funding.

Mitch Landrieu, senior advisor to President Biden and coordinator for the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, shared that the initial $115 million award would be promptly allocated to support Jackson. Landrieu, the former mayor of New Orleans, Louisiana, also highlighted that substantial funding has already been directed to the state, including $25 million at an early stage, an additional $450 million to the state, and an extra $75 million.