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MAYOR CHOKWE ANTAR LUMUMBA (D-JACKSON, MS): Well, the problem of water that would pose a hazard to people drinking it today is beyond us, but the issues of an aged infrastructure, the issues which led us into this crisis to begin with are certainly not over. We have been, you know, lifting up this issue for some time now — you know, not only in our statehouse, amongst state leadership, but in the halls of Congress. We’ve talked about the fact that it’s not a matter of if our infrastructure would fail but when our infrastructure will fail. And it’s unfortunately not an unusual or unfamiliar narrative with many legacy cities across the nation.
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR: Mayor, just in case, you know, international viewers and viewers across the United States might not know, tell us how difficult it was for the residents of your city during this month. What did they have to do to actually just get drinking water or be able to cook or brush their teeth?
LUMUMBA: Incredibly challenging state of affairs. You know, the water pressure was low in most homes and absent in other homes. And we know the many things that people rely on water for. Water is essential to life. Not only for drinking and cooking, and in the midst of a pandemic, the need to sanitize your hands and to clean for hygienic purposes. But also, it posed a major inconvenience in people’s lives. While the city set up distribution sites for both potable and non-potable water, it was an interruption in people’s days. We had to deliver to homes where people were immobile, disabled, the elderly. And so, it’s been incredibly challenging and it’s something that our residents don’t deserve. I think that we have to understand from the state, local and federal level that the resources we provide towards infrastructure are a suggestion of our values, whether we value sustainable infrastructure that people depend on is an important notion that we have to lift up.
AMANPOUR: So, you know, who is to blame, is perhaps an easy way to put it. You mentioned, you know, old and aging infrastructure. Obviously, the climate is affecting issues like that. And I wonder whether you are getting enough from the state now to support basic needs like water.
LUMUMBA: Historically, it’s been an effort to punt the ball. You know, the City of Jackson has invested millions of dollars into its water infrastructure along with the other areas of infrastructure that we have to maintain each and every year. What we find is that it is often held as Jackson’s problem.