A federal judge on Friday ordered water to be turned back on for five days at a south Jackson apartment complex where the utility company shut it off July 23 because the complex owner has $422,000 of unpaid water bills.
U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate issued his order in response to an emergency request from Mayor John Horhn. Wingate said it was a “temporary humanitarian measure.”
“Judge Wingate’s decision to turn the water back on gives us the critical time we need to help our neighbors get to a safe place,” Horhn said in a statement.
In the days before taps ran dry at Blossom, the city’s privately operated water utility company, JXN Water, had indicated water shutoffs were possible but not imminent at Blossom and other complexes with large overdue bills.
Many of Blossom’s low-income residents receive housing vouchers. Their water service is included as part of the rent they pay.
The apartments’ owner, Tony Little of Monroe, Louisiana, told Mississippi Today that he has a longstanding dispute with JXN Water over the amount the utility company says he owes.
Wingate wrote Friday that his ruling does not reduce or forgive the unpaid bills at Blossom.
“This Court recognizes that the property’s owners are in arrears on water bills and that condemnation proceedings may be ongoing,” Wingate wrote. “This Court further recognizes that to reactivate water for Blossom Apartments despite the Court’s warnings of a potential shutoff and Blossom Apartments’ continued nonpayment would be windfall to Blossom Apartments if it is allowed to receive free water under these circumstances.”
Wingate wrote that the absence of potable water “creates immediate and significant public health risks, depriving residents of the ability to meet their basic needs for drinking, cooking, sanitation, and hygiene.”
Horhn’s statement said the mayor, who took office July 1, has been communicating with Mississippi Home Corp., which has agreed to provide financial help for people to move out of Blossom. That includes down payments for new apartments, the first month’s rent and relocation expenses. The money will be delivered through Stewpot Community Services, which is coordinating relocation and support services.
Region 6 Housing Authority is speeding up the availability of vouchers to help Blossom residents find different housing, and Jackson Housing Authority is providing caseworker support and housing placement, the mayor said.
Stewpot CEO Jill Buckley has organized a relocation assistance meeting for Blossom residents at 5 p.m. Tuesday at Stewpot headquarters.
Blossom Apartments is a 72-unit property initially built in 2004 through low-income housing tax credits administered by the state to offer affordable rents to Jackson residents.
Earlier this year, JXN Water released a list of multi-family accounts that had more than $100,000 in unpaid water fees. Blossom was on the list.
JXN Water said it has tried to work with Little on Blossom’s overdue bills. The utility company said he has leaks on the property and it has offered a bill adjustment if those leaks are repaired.
Reporter Maya Miller contributed to this story.
