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Mayor refuses to publicly discuss EPA inspector findings

City councilman asks for answers after EPA report comes to light
Ross Adams
Investigative Reporter
Mayor refuses to publicly discuss EPA inspector findings

City councilman asks for answers after EPA report comes to light

ONE COUNCIL MEMBER ACCUSED THE MAYOR OF KEEPING KEEPING THAT EPA LETTER IN THE DARK FOR OVER A YEAR. THE MAYOR REFUSED TO PUBLICLY DISCUSS WHAT EPA INSPECTORS FOUND. RED5903 09-20 <WE'VE BEEN ADVISED TO GO IN EXECUTIVE SESSION ON 32. COLLEAGUES? WHY WOULD QUALIFY FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION? BECAUSE IT IS A NEGOTIATION WITH THE EPA.> CITY COUNCILMEMBER ASHBY FOOTE OBJECTING TO MAYOR CHOKWE ANTAR LUMUMBA'S REQUEST TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AND DISCUSS AN EPA EMERGENCY ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER WHICH FOUND JACKSON'S WATER TREATMENT PLANTS WERE IN SERIOUS VIOLATION OF FEDERAL LAW FOR SAFE DRINKING WATER. RED5903 1:17-1:29 ASHBY FOOTE/WARD 1 COUNCILMAN <FOR US TO GO IN EXECUTIVE ORDER EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR IT WHICH CUTS OUT THE MEDIA FROM COVERING IT FINDING OUT MORE OF THE DETAILS I THINK THE OPTICS FOR THAT FOR THE CITY OF JACKSON GOVERNMENT ARE VERY POOR.> RED5903 33-41 MAYOR CHOKWE ANTAR LUMUMBA <WE DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH SHARING WITH YOU ANY DETAILS BUT IT WOULD BE MORE APPROPRIATE FROM LEGAL ADVICE TO GO IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.> A FEBRUARY 2020 EPA INSPECTION FOUND THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR THE CITIES DRINKING WATER TO CONTAIN E. COLI, HUMAN AND ANIMAL WASTE BECAUSE I HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT HOW THE WATER WAS BEING DISINFECTED BEFORE IT WAS DISTRIBUTED TO CUSTOMERS. THE EPA ORDERED THE CITY TO MAKE CORRECTIONS IMMEDIATELY OR IT COULD FACE PENALTIES OF MORE THAN $24,000 A DAY. RED5903 59-1:07 <I DIDN'T FIND OUT ABOUT IT UNTIL ABOUT WEEK AGO. SO OVER A YEAR BEFORE I FOUND OUT WE WERE UNDER THE EMERGENCY ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER.> RED5903 1:35-1:48 <THEY HAVE BEEN LETTERS GOING OUT THERE CLARIFY FOR THE BETTER PART OVER A YEAR DIRECTLY TO THE RESIDENCE HOMES SECONDLY I CAN SHARE WITH YOU IT IS A DRAFT CONSENSUS APP AND GO INTO A DRAFT CONSENT WITH THE CITY OF JACKSON.> ROSS ADAMS AFTER AN HOUR BEHIND CLOSED DOORS IN EXECUTIVE SESSION THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR SAID THE CITY IS WORKING DILIGENTLY WITH THE EPA TO CORRECT ALL THE PROBLEMS IN THE EMERGENCY ORDER AND TO GET THE WATER SYST
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Mayor refuses to publicly discuss EPA inspector findings

City councilman asks for answers after EPA report comes to light
Ross Adams
Investigative Reporter
Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba refused to discuss an EPA emergency administrative order which found serious problems at the city’s water treatment plants.During a Jackson City Council meeting on Tuesday, Ward 1's Ashby Foote objected Tuesday to the mayor's request to go executive session to discuss the EPA order that said the city's plants were in violation of federal law for safe drinking water."For us to go in executive session, for which it cuts out the media from covering it (and) finding out more details, I think the optics for that for the city of Jackson government are very poor," Foote said."We don't have any problem with sharing with you any details, but it would be more appropriate, from legal advice, to go into executive session," Lumumba said.A February 2020 EPA inspection found there is a potential for the city's drinking water to contain E. coli, human and animal waste because there were concerns about how the water was being disinfected before it was distributed to customers. The EPA ordered the city to make corrections immediately or it could face penalties of more than $24,000 a day."I didn’t find out about it until about a week ago. So over a year before I found out, we were under the emergency administrative order," Foote said."There have been letters going out there, clarifying for the better part over a year, directly to the residences, homes. This was a draft. They have been going through a draft consent with the city of Jackson," Lumumba said.After an hour behind closed doors in executive session, the public works director said the city is working diligently with the EPA to correct all the problems in the emergency order and to get the water system working properly again.
JACKSON, Miss. —

Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba refused to discuss an EPA emergency administrative order which found serious problems at the city’s water treatment plants.

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During a Jackson City Council meeting on Tuesday, Ward 1's Ashby Foote objected Tuesday to the mayor's request to go executive session to discuss the EPA order that said the city's plants were in violation of federal law for safe drinking water.

"For us to go in executive session, for which it cuts out the media from covering it (and) finding out more details, I think the optics for that for the city of Jackson government are very poor," Foote said.

"We don't have any problem with sharing with you any details, but it would be more appropriate, from legal advice, to go into executive session," Lumumba said.

A February 2020 EPA inspection found there is a potential for the city's drinking water to contain E. coli, human and animal waste because there were concerns about how the water was being disinfected before it was distributed to customers.

The EPA ordered the city to make corrections immediately or it could face penalties of more than $24,000 a day.

"I didn’t find out about it until about a week ago. So over a year before I found out, we were under the emergency administrative order," Foote said.

"There have been letters going out there, clarifying for the better part over a year, directly to the residences, homes. This was a draft. They have been going through a draft consent with the city of Jackson," Lumumba said.

After an hour behind closed doors in executive session, the public works director said the city is working diligently with the EPA to correct all the problems in the emergency order and to get the water system working properly again.