On September 16, 2022, Lieff Cabraser and co-counsel filed the first federal class action lawsuit on behalf of the residents of Jackson, Mississippi over the extreme water crisis in and around Jackson that left residents without running water for weeks but which arose out of decades of alleged neglect and administrative and political failure. The lawsuit seeks injunctive relief and monetary damages against various government and private engineering defendants over the neglect, mismanagement, and maintenance failures that led to an environmental catastrophe leaving over 153,000 Jackson-area residents without access to safe running water.

“All families are entitled to clean and safe drinking water,” said Lieff Cabraser partner Mark P. Chalos, who also represents the Plaintiffs in the case. “Government officials turning a blind eye to contaminated water and letting a major American city’s infrastructure crumble into disrepair is neither representing nor caring for its people. This lawsuit seeks to bring justice – and safe, clean water – to the Jackson community.”

As described in the Complaint, the City of Jackson’s water supply has been neglected for decades, culminating in a complete shutdown in August 2022 that left over 153,000 residents, 82% of whom are Black, without access to running water. These residents lacked safe drinking water, or water for making powdered baby formula, cooking, showering, or laundry. During the long period where the city had no water pressure—and was unable to facilitate the flow of water—residents of Jackson could not flush their toilets for days at a time.

Impacted residents interested to learn more information or to see how the civil lawsuit will accelerate water and system restoration and provide compensation for those harmed by the crisis, can contact an environmental disaster lawyer at Lieff Cabraser today. There is no charge for our review of your potential case.