Jackson, a city in Mississippi, has been experiencing periodic shortages and water contamination for many years. Apparently, while the residents of the city faced the issue, a burst pipe was leaking about five million gallons of water daily into a nearby stream.
The leak was discovered under a golf course at the Colonial Country Club, and it had been there, wasting much-needed water since 2016. The leak had an impact on one of the two major pipes transferring water from the local treatment facility to the remaining part of the city.
The pressure on the affected pipe was so intense that the leak from the pipe went into the air like a thermal spring and etched a pool-like pit into the surrounding earth’s surface.
The leak under the country club golf course continuously wasted enough water to supply about 50 000 residents daily. This particular leak was not the only one; it was only one of the many large leaks that were affecting the city’s old water system.
The city’s water plants were built as far back as the 1910s and 1980s. This means that the city depended on water plants and pipes that were over a hundred years old, it’s no surprise this pipe broke.
The people that live in Jackson City have been at the mercy of this water issue for several years. They often received “boil notice,” warning them that the tap water should be boiled before use as it was not safe. The worst part was that sometimes, they received no tap water at all.
Many residents formed the habit of hoarding bottled water in preparation for the next time water issues arise. Not having safe drinking water is already bad, but not getting water at all while clean water constantly leaks into the ground is disturbing.
However, with the current issue of global warming, as temperatures are rising across the globe, Jackson is not the only place in the United States that is undergoing this water shortage issue. California and other western states have been facing drought for many years.
In other towns like Dimmock and Pennsylvania, pollution is affecting their water supply. These issues may have long-term effects on agriculture as a shortage of water can drive up the cost of water, which can lead to an increase in the price of food.
Since the problem has been identified, finding lasting solutions is next. Poor management has hindered significant improvements in Jackson City, but solutions are underway. The Justice Department instructed the city to bring in a manager from another city or state for the water department.
With the help of recent federal funding, places that need repairs are being fixed, starting with the leak under the golf course at the Colonial Country Club.
