"Boil-Water Notice Lifted In Jackson, Mississippi, After Nearly 7 Weeks"

"JACKSON, Miss. — After nearly seven weeks of being forced to boil their water before drinking it or using it to brush teeth, people in Mississippi’s largest city were told Thursday that water from the tap is safe to consume — but Jackson’s water system still needs big repairs that the mayor says the cash-strapped city cannot afford on its own.

Gov. Tate Reeves and Jackson officials said in separate announcements that the state health department lifted a boil-water notice that had been in place since July 29 in the city of 150,000.

“We have restored clean water to the city of Jackson,” Reeves said during a news conference.

However, a state health department official, Jim Craig, said households with pregnant women or young children should take precautions because of lead levels previously found in some homes on the Jackson water system. Craig said although recent testing showed “no lead or lead below the action levels” set by the EPA, people should continue to avoid using city water to prepare baby formula."

Emily Wagster Pettus reports for the Associated Press September 15, 2022.

Source: AP, 09/16/2022