In the summer of 2022, Jackson faced a catastrophic water crisis, resulting in a complete loss of water pressure. The City, State and Federal Government declared a state of emergency. The Biden Administration filed suit against the City and allocated over $500 million to fix the system.
The parties agreed to an Interim Stipulated Order (ISO) that stripped power away from the city and gave unilateral control to Ted Henifin, the Interim Third Party Manager (ITPM), appointed to oversee the Jackson water system.
Since the lawsuit and ISO, Forward Justice and its partners have fiercely advocated for their clients by preparing and submitting a community statement, filing an Emergency Petition with the EPA, petitioning for intervenor status, and demanding transparency.
In 2024, that fight paid off when our clients successfully gained intervenor status in the federal lawsuit. Since then, we’ve continued to advocate for our clients in discussions with the EPA, State of Mississippi, and the City of Jackson, showing up at every hearing and refusing to be sidelined from the final consent decree process.
In March 2025, the ITPM unilaterally proposed a second water rate increase. In response, our team filed written opposition that advocates for our clients and their constituents. Our team appeared in Court to advocate for our clients and we’ve published a letter that outlines, to the public, the issues with the unilateral water rate increase. Our team is the only party, on record, to push back against the water rates. As of December 19, 2025, the Court has not granted the water rate increase.
In 2025, our team also filed a Motion to Modify the ISO, challenging an Order that has grown outdated and continues to concentrate power away from the people it was meant to serve. If successful, this change will return power to where it belongs: the citizens of Jackson. The Motion to Modify the ISO is scheduled for a hearing on January 19, 2026.