Residents report difficulty getting distributed water and lack of supply

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - If you live in Jackson, you’re one of the lucky ones if you were able to get a few cases of water with supplies going quickly at distribution sites. Many residents complain the city isn’t giving them enough heads up on locations and not providing enough water for all the residents in need.

The demand for water is so high in the city that dozens were lined up even before the distribution began at two locations. At Fire Station 28 on University Boulevard, more than 30 cars were waiting for the giveaway. The driver of this car was first in line at 11:15 Thursday morning for the 12:30 start.

The vehicles moved through quickly taking all the cases on the four pallets in less than an hour.

“I’d burn $30.00 worth of gas if I wait to get over there to get $3.00,” said Jackson resident Larry Hilliard. “I’ll go by Kroger and get $3.00 for a case of water”.

Many searching for bottled water at Fire State 20 on Medgar Evers Boulevard at 10 a.m. was out of luck when supplies ran out in less than an hour. By 11:00 residents were still driving to the station wondering if they had the right location.

“They tell you you come over here. You can get some water. You come over, and they ain’t got no water,” said Leo Love a construction company owner from Jackson “In less than an hour. Here it is they started what 10:00 here it is 11:14 they ain’t got no water.”

Victor Dee also arrived after 11:00 and was upset supplies were gone. He said he had to search the city’s website to find out distribution sites.

“I think the whole thing is a joke,” said Dee. “I mean if you’ve only got enough water that doesn’t even last an hour for us for the city and then why are they not telling us in advance where to go to these places? We’ve got to go online and search to find somewhere that might have water”.

Forty-five pallets of water have been distributed since Monday. There are 78 cases on each pallet.

Taxpayers are getting a break with the cases of bottled water. City officials said all the water was donated by Premium Water.

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