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Mississippi has declared a state of emergency for its capital city of Jackson, home to Jackson State, after the city’s main water treatment facility failed.
The national guard has been called to help provide Jackson residents with drinking and non-drinking water, per CNN. Currently, there is not enough water pressure to meet residents’ needs.
Tigers football coach Deion Sanders took to Instagram to discuss the impact of the water crisis on his team and how he plans to help his players.
“We were hit with a little crisis, the city of Jackson,” Sanders said in a video. “We don’t have water. Water means we don’t have air condition (sic), can’t use toilets. We don’t have water. Therefore, we don’t have ice—which pretty much places a burden on the program. So right now, we’re operating in crisis mode. I gotta get these kids off campus, the ones that live on campus, the ones that live in the city of Jackson, into a hotel and accommodate them so that they can shower properly and take care of their needs. Make sure all our kids are fed.
“You know, our kids have the necessities of life for the next several days until this crisis resides (sic). That’s what we’re operating in right now. So we’re going to find somewhere to practice, find somewhere that can accommodate every darn thing that we need, and desire to be who we desire to be, and that’s dominant. The devil is a lie. You ain’t going to get us today, baby.”
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Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said the water treatment plant’s pumps stopped functioning recently, and the pumps operating as backups failed Monday, according to Reuters. Mississippi is planning to create an incident command center at the facility Tuesday.
The water crisis was caused in part because the pumps were damaged this summer, per CNN. Reeves also said the city’s plant has been poorly run and understaffed for many years, per Reuters. Jackson has been under a boil-water notice since July.
It was also partly caused by a record rainfall that led to flooding of the Pearl River this week, which impacted the plant’s treatment process.
“Please stay safe,” Reeves said in a press conference, per CNN. “Do not drink the water. In too many cases, it is raw water from the reservoir being pushed through the pipes. Be smart. Protect yourself. Protect your family.”
