Today, The City of Cincinnati is deploying resources to help in the recovery efforts in Jackson, Mississippi.

“We are proud to respond to the call for help during this tragic and challenging moment for the people of Jackson. Our GCWW volunteers, who will be on the ground supporting this critical operation, embody Cincinnati’s commitment to lifting up those in need however we’re able. My sincere thanks go to everyone pitching in to help Jackson recover,” Mayor Aftab said.

Following extreme rainfall and flooding of the Pearl River, the City of Jackson, Mississippi’s water treatment plant was partially shut down and is extremely understaffed. Through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) system, the State of Mississippi has requested assistance with staffing augmentation of the 24-hour operation of this critical infrastructure in order to restore clean water to the City of Jackson.

Through EMAC, a compact used to deliver state-to-state mutual aid in response to emergencies, the City is working with the State of Ohio Emergency Management Agency to offer five GCWW staff to assist with recovery from Jackson’s water crisis.

“The City of Cincinnati has an exceptional team at Greater Cincinnati Water Works. When presented with the opportunity to assist in this critical situation, we responded without hesitation. Access to safe and clean water is of utmost importance and I am grateful to the volunteers willing to help restore that service to the City of Jackson,” said City Manager Sheryl Long.

GCWW has assembled a qualified, cross-functional team that has the capability to work autonomously or as part of a larger maintenance initiative. The group consists of team members with heavy maintenance experience, chemical process experience, building maintenance experience, electrical experience, instrumentation experience, and machining skills. The team is well versed in both routine and emergency repairs and is used to tackling multiple problems in a workday.

“Our hearts go out to the citizens of Jackson and all those working tirelessly to restore clean and safe drinking water to the city.  We are thankful for the talented GCWW employees who have volunteered to assist with restoration efforts and are on their way to Jackson this morning,” said Greater Cincinnati Water Works Interim Director Verna Arnette.

The team includes 5 members that have nearly 50 years of combined water treatment plant maintenance experience including large pump maintenance, valve replacement, chemical feed systems maintenance, and emergency maintenance activities. This group of 5 also includes a member that has experience with pressure regulator maintenance, large water main repairs, and capital project management. The team will spend 15 days assisting efforts in the City of Jackson. Any overtime incurred by the team members will be governed and paid in accordance with the current collective bargaining agreement.