Pregnant women, kids cautioned over Jackson water, lead

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It is becoming clear to the city of Jackson and the Mississippi State Health Department that the water system issues that have contributed to high levels of lead reported at residents’ taps will not have a quick fix.

For this reason, the health department released a statement Wednesday urging pregnant women and children, who are at greater risk from lead exposure, to take extra precautions when consuming Jackson’s water. These include running the water before using and avoiding hot water while cooking.

“We realized that the city of Jackson cannot come into compliance quickly, so while they’re dealing with these alkalinity and these pH levels that lead to corrosivity, we just want to recommend that,” said Liz Sharlot, MSDH spokesperson.

Corrosion can cause lead piping and plumbing to leach, and the more corrosive the water is, based on fluctuating pH and alkalinity levels, the more likely it is that lead will be present in the water.

After the city discovered in January that 22 percent of homes in a June sample tested above actionable levels of lead, they tested another 100 homes and found 11 percent still testing above that threshold.

In a press conference Wednesday afternoon, Jackson Public Works Director Kishia Powell addressed the heightened sensitivity of the community to issues regarding lead in drinking water due to the national headlines coming out of Flint, Michigan, over its water crisis.

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