Some 40,000 homes and business owners in the Capitol City are bracing for three days or more without running water. Crews begin work on repairing a major water main line this afternoon.
Pat Porter lives in West Jackson. She's hasn't wasted any time planning ahead for the possibility she won't have running water.
"I have all the food . I have all the water I need and I'm just going to set here and watch TV if the water is back on," said Porter.
Crews will shutoff water this afternoon to repair three breaks in a 48-inch water line that supplies west and south Jackson all the way to Byram. They hope to have it fixed by Sunday afternoon. The line broke last month, affecting 40,000 homes and businesses. Michael Garner says his water pressure was low after the line broke.
"After I flush the toilet I have to wait about 20 30 minutes for the bowl to fill back up," said Garner.
Officials say they aren't sure more homes won't be affected. Emergency workers have been telling residents and business owners to stock-up on water. Rooster's Restaurant in the Fondren area was able to operate last month when the line broke. Owner Nathan Glenn says the building has a water pump.
"We've lost a little bit of water pressure now. We're already using canned drinks because of the Coke machine. So what the city is telling me is that because of the affect of what we had last time. We won't be that affected. We plan to be open and operating as normal business hours," said Glenn
Patty Watson owns Detangled Salon. She'll be open but with limited service.
We'll just be doing dry cuts until we know what's going on with the water," said Watson.
Five Jackson libraries that experienced low water pressure last month will be closed. The city is distributing bottled water at several locations. Mississippi Emergency Management Agency is on standby, if more water assistance is needed.
