Jackson resident concerned about drinking water in his home

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) -Third-party water manager Ted Henifin recently stated that the water in Jackson is safe to drink at a status hearing nearly two weeks ago.

Jackson resident Johnny Dickenson is upset after Henifin made that statement and says that’s not completely true. He says the water that is coming out of his faucet is brown and smelly. He feels it is detrimental.

“Ted Henifin, or whatever his name is, keeps talking about it’s safe to drink. I want him to come drink some of this and let me know,” Dickenson said.

As Dickenson sits feet away from his faucet, he doesn’t hold back his frustration when describing the water that’s coming out of it.

“It’s been oily and soapy coming out of the faucet,” Dickenson said. He claims he has tried to get answers about the water.

“I called the EPA, and I called downtown, you know,” Dickenson said. He says nothing has been done to fix the problem.

Dickenson says he is not only apprehensive about drinking the water directly from the tap but showering is also a huge concern.

He claims the water is affecting his body in a negative way.

“I’m not sure, but I’m getting a lot of bumps around my ankles and things around my feet. It’s a big concern of mine,” he said.

Like many others around the capital city, Dickenson and his family have been dealing with this water issue in the capital city for months. That’s why you see bottled water stacked up in his home to cook and now bathe with.

He admits buying case after case is hitting his wallet.

Henifin maintains the city’s water is clean and safe to drink despite it being discolored and having an odor. However, Dickenson is still concerned and poses these solutions.

“I just want to see it fixed,” he said. “I don’t want them to keep saying the water is safe to drink when it’s not safe to drink, you know, fix it. You got enough money.”

We called Jackson Water about Dickenson’s water issues and concerns but were told to call back Monday during regular business hours.

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