JACKSON, Miss.—Ted Henifin first came to Jackson as part of the federal response to the collapse of water production in the capital city. Joining the Unified Command in September, his expertise from years of water and wastewater utility leadership made him the U.S. Department of Justice’s pick for leadership as Jackson’s new “interim third party manager,” a role with unique autonomy from both the City of Jackson and the State of Mississippi.
Since last week’s omnibus bill passed with hundreds of millions in grant funds to restore Jackson’s water system, Henifin has both the resources and the authority to attempt a reversal of decades of infrastructure decline and neglect. The Mississippi Free Press met with Henifin at a Jackson coffee shop late last week.
Henifin, who prefers the title of manager at JXN WTR, the company he founded to take on the job of rebuilding the drinking-water system, seems to understand the weight of the city’s hopes. Midway through the interview, a resident recognized him and called out from the sidewalk. “We’re all pulling for you,” the man said. Celebrity, however minor, was an odd experience for a water administrator, Henifin admitted.
But the opportunity is paired with continuing challenges. On Dec. 23, the same day that President Joe Biden signed off on unprecedented federal support for repairing Jackson’s water crisis, a deep freeze hit the capital city, dropping temperatures overnight and causing leaks deep inside the city’s distribution system.
Days later, the capital city has returned to a familiar stage of crisis: low or no water pressure for most residents, and a systemwide boil-water notice following the risk of groundwater being drawn into the pipe system. Henifin expanded on his earlier interview in a phone conversation with this reporter today as the citywide boil-water notice continued.
The interviews are combined, edited and condensed for clarity and length.
Nick Judin: Jackson’s back under a systemwide boil-water notice. Many residents have little or no water pressure at all. What happened, and how is the recovery going?
Ted Henifin: It appears that we have some major leaks in the system. Here’s what