‘A really bad idea’: Council members sound off on JXN Water’s plans to increase rates
JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) — Days after Interim Third-Party Manager Ted Henifin announced he would be implementing a rate increase next month, council members are sounding off.
“With the shutdown and people not having SNAP right now, it would be even more of a disaster,” said Ward Two Councilwoman Tina Clay. “When you look at the poverty rate in the city of Jackson, it makes no sense.”
“It’s a really bad idea.”
On Friday, Henifin released this third-quarter report for JXN Water, where he announced that he would be raising rates, effective December 15.
The move comes months after the Jackson City Council voted down his proposal to do so on a unanimous vote.
It also comes after U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate has blocked the effort.
In the quarterly report, Henifin advises that he has the authority to do so with or without Wingate or the council’s backing, per the language of the 2022 Interim Stipulated Order.
Council members interviewed by 3 On Your Side are generally opposed to the rate increase.
Clay voted against Henifin’s request earlier this year, saying residents couldn’t afford it and he needed to improve collections.
She’s hopeful Wingate will block Henifin’s plans at an emergency hearing on Wednesday.
“We’re in the same situation we’ve been in all along,” she said. “It makes no sense to give him an increase. Nothing has changed.”
Ward Three Councilman Kenneth Stokes also is opposed to the increase, saying he’s disappointed Henifin has not taken Wingate’s advice.
“Poor people already can’t pay these high water bills. So, we’re going to end up with a city where the percentage of citizens won’t have water, which can lead to disease, sickness,” he said. “Surely, there’s some kind of legal proceeding we can file.”
“Let’s go to court. Let a judge make a determination,” he continued. “That’s what the court system is for.”
Ward Six Councilwoman Lashia Brown Thomas doesn’t support raising rates but understands why Henifin is doing it.
“Do the people need a rate increase? No, but if you want [safe drinking] water, we’re going to have to increase it,” she said.
Henifin was appointed manager of Jackson’s water system in November 2022, weeks after the city’s main water treatment plant shut down due to increased rain at the Ross Barnett Reservoir.
The Virginia public works veteran was charged with bringing the system back into compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act. He also took over the billing system and was given the authority to raise rates.
Henifin’s first rate structure change came in 2024. He proposed a following increase this year, saying the 2024 rates did not generate enough to all of JXN Water’s costs.
The report states without the increase in revenue, Henifin will be unable to borrow money to cover additional water and sewer system improvements.
“Critical repairs to the Savanna Street and Trahon Wastewater Treatment Plants, as well as the 99 pump stations throughout the sewer collection system are needed as soon as possible. Additionally, two ongoing illegal and public health-threatening sanitary sewer overflows require significant capital funding to resolve that JXN Water does not have.”
Henifin also says the utility doesn’t have the local match to dredge the storm cells at the Savanna plant, and that the federal funds allocated for the project could be de-obligated in the coming weeks.
“I understand his frustration, but they’ve got to get the collection rate up,” Ward One Councilman Ashby Foote said. “It’s not fair for them to make up for 15 years of not holding people accountable and suddenly expect 60 to 70 percent of the people playing by the rules to make it up with higher rates.”
“You can’t do that. That doesn’t work.”
JXN Water currently bills customers under a tiered rate structure, paying between $6 and $16 per CCF, or hundred cubic feet of water.
Henifin says with the new increase, the typical bill will go up about $9 a month.
Stokes, though, says many customers can’t afford even that.
“How in the world can someone, 76 years old, have water all their life, live with no water and have grandkids trying to go to school?” he asked. “Where is the sensitivity to human beings? They don’t even do that in Russia, but they’re doing here in Jackson.”
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