City trying to hire enough workers to operate Jackson’s water treatment plants

Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba said criticism of staff shortages at Jackson’s water treatment plants was nothing new. The mayor said during a weekly news briefing Monday that the city is trying to find the workers it needs and is looking for an outside contractor to help. However, the Environmental Protection Agency said that was an issue because the city’s water is still considered unsafe due to turbidity or turbidity in Jackson’s water system. “We’ve started to think about how to hire ex-city employees on an hourly rate (rate) or for limited hours so that it doesn’t affect their pensions but allows them to augment our staff at our water treatment plants,” Lumumba said. The mayor said the city government is trying to fill the massive staff shortage needed to run the city’s problem water treatment plant. The EPA criticized that OB Curtis’ water treatment plant has only three Class A operators for 24/7 operation. The city has failed to resolve its testing process, which has repeatedly failed to meet state standards for safe drinking water. The mayor said water samples taken since the state-imposed boil order was issued showed random failed results. “What we saw is that on the first day everything is clear at the same sites, everything is clear except for two, and then we have to start all over again,” Lumumba said. The mayor said the city is still accepting proposals from Companies that could take over the management operations of the water treatment facilities He also said the city is considering contracting with a Hattiesburg-based laboratory to handle the testing process.

Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba said criticism of staff shortages at Jackson’s water treatment plants was nothing new.

The mayor said during a weekly news briefing Monday that the city is trying to find the workers it needs and is looking for an outside contractor to help. But the Environmental Protection Agency said that was an issue because the city’s water is still considered unsafe.

The Mississippi State Department of Health issued a citywide decoction notice more than three weeks ago because Jackson’s water system exhibited above-average turbidity or turbidity.

“We’ve started to think about how to hire ex-city employees on an hourly rate (rate) or for limited hours so that it doesn’t affect their pensions but allows them to augment our staff at our water treatment plants,” Lumumba said.

The mayor said the city government is trying to fill the massive staff shortage needed to run the city’s problem water treatment plant. The EPA criticized that OB Curtis’ water treatment plant has only three Class A operators for 24/7 operation.

The city has failed to resolve its testing process, which has repeatedly failed to meet state standards for safe drinking water. The mayor said water samples taken since the state-imposed water-boiling notice had shown random failed results.

“The pattern we’ve seen is that on day one everyone is clear. On the second day of testing the same sides, everything is clear except for two, and then we have to start all over again,” Lumumba said.

The mayor said the city is still accepting proposals from companies that could take over the management operations of the water treatment facilities. He also said the city is considering contracting with a Hattiesburg-based lab to handle the testing process.

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