Jackson water crisis: soldiers distribute 1.1 million water bottles per day by Chi Chi Izundu

• Due to a persistent problem with the water supply, more than a million bottles of water have been distributed to residents in Jackson, Mississippi in less than a day.
• After flooding shut down a water treatment facility, nearly 200,000 people in the state’s capital have been without access to tap water for the past five days.
• As the Labor Day weekend draws near, officials claim that progress is being made in restoring the supply.

Due to a persistent problem with the water supply, more than a million bottles of water have been distributed to residents in Jackson, Mississippi in less than a day.

After flooding shut down a water treatment facility, nearly 200,000 people in the state’s capital have been without access to tap water for the past five days.

As the Labor Day weekend draws near, officials claim that progress is being made in restoring the supply. But according to the residents, there is an urgent need for relief because it is so hot.

An army of neighborhood volunteers and the Mississippi National Guard have worked together to provide 1.1 million bottles of water in 24 hours to those who cannot wash, flush the toilet, or consume tap water.

“It’s been awful going without water,” Shirley Barnes told the BBC as she queued for more bottles on Friday. “It’s been a horrific experience.”

“Trying to do your normal routines, that’s been the hardest. Trying to boil water. Washing your face, taking your bath, cooking. It’s like you living back in the caveman days.”

“I never thought I would be in this predicament, but here we are,” she added.

Volunteer Debbie Upchurch from a nearby church has been delivering bottled water to Jackson to give to locals.

This week, her daughter, a local teacher, has been instructing online instead of in-person classrooms due to scheduling conflicts.

“Right now they can’t meet for class because there’s no water to cook with or [for] the restrooms,” she said. “Sometimes that’s the only meal they have, is what they have at breakfast and lunch at the schools.”

By Friday around noon, 44 soldiers who were stationed at the scene, according to Mississippi National Guard First Lieutenant Roman Ramirez, had delivered almost 80,000 bottles.

There is a lot of emotion among the locals, but our duty is to simply show there and provide as much water as we can where we can.

Ryan Bell, a native of Jackson, lives next to the state carnival, where bottled water is given out.

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