Media Tip Sheet: Jackson Water Crisis


September 1, 2022

Jackson, Mississippi, continues to grapple with a water supply crisis. A combination of severe floods and failures at local water treatment plans caused Jackson’s faucets to run dry, the 150,000 people that call Mississippi’s capital home have dealt with water issues for years. This long-in-the-making calamity can be partially attributed to post-segregation white flight decimating the city’s tax base and decades of distrust and discord between majority Black Democratic Jackson and white Republican statewide elected officials.

Hilary Silver, professor of sociology at the George Washington University, is an expert on urban and anti-poverty policies in the U.S. and around the world. Professor Silver explores the underlying social issues that are playing an important role in the Jackson water crisis.

To schedule an interview with Professor Silver, please contact GW Media Relations at [email protected].