Council Vice-President Hartley Calls for Stabilization Review before Decisions on Jackson Water Governance
Jackson, Mississippi — Jackson City Council Vice-President and Public Works Committee Chair Vernon W. Hartley, Sr. announced today that he is seeking additional information and technical review regarding Jackson’s water and wastewater system before discussions move forward on any long-term governance transition.
The requests follow the enactment of the Metro Jackson Water Authority Act and focus on ratepayer impact, billing performance, customer service, revenue collection, infrastructure repair, and overall system readiness.
“This is not about opposing reform,” Hartley said. “Reform is necessary. But any discussion of transition must be grounded in facts, system readiness, and protection of the people who depend on this system every day.”
Hartley is requesting information and review from JXN Water, the Mississippi Public Utilities Staff, and the Mississippi Public Service Commission.
The Mississippi Public Utilities Staff represents broad public and ratepayer interests and provides investigative and advisory support in utility matters. In this context, the Staff may help evaluate billing integrity, customer service performance, ratepayer impact, financial sustainability, and whether the system appears ready for further transition discussions.
The Mississippi Public Service Commission’s public role includes ensuring that utility rates are just and reasonable, service is reasonably adequate, and utility facilities serve the public convenience and necessity. While the Commission’s jurisdiction may be limited under the Metro Jackson Water Authority Act, Hartley is seeking clarification on what review mechanisms, if any, may be available regarding ratepayer impact, customer class treatment, and system transparency.
Evaluation of this information will help the City Council and the administration make informed decisions as Jackson considers the future governance and long-term stability of its water and wastewater system.
Hartley said independent technical input from the Mississippi Public Utilities Staff and clarification from the Mississippi Public Service Commission would help ensure that future discussions are based on objective information, not assumptions.
“These are the right questions to ask before discussions move forward on any long-term transition,” Hartley said. “We need current data from JXN Water, technical review from Public
Utilities Staff, and specific clarification from the Public Service Commission on what review mechanisms, if any, may be available.”
“Stabilization has to come first,” Hartley said. “Billing must work, customer service must work, revenue collection must be reliable, and infrastructure repair must continue. A new governance structure does not automatically fix those issues.”
Hartley noted that both the federal oversight process and the new state framework recognize the importance of system stability and financial sustainability before any long-term transition occurs.
“If billing is not fully resolved, then the system is not fully stabilized,” Hartley said. “Residents should not be asked to accept a long-term structure while the basic systems that affect them every month are still being corrected.”
Hartley emphasized that the requests are intended to promote transparency, ratepayer protection, and responsible decision-making as the City moves from general concern to specific questions about system readiness.
“The people of Jackson deserve a process that is careful, transparent, and based on measurable readiness,” Hartley said.
For more information, contact:
Office of Councilman Vernon W. Hartley, Sr.
Vice-President, Jackson City Council
Chair, Public Works Committee
Phone: (601) 960-1092
Email: vhartley@city.jackson.ms.us
