• A volunteer loads water into a waiting car at New Hope Baptist Church Friday afternoon. The water giveaway was provided by the Lefleur’s Bluff Chapter of The Links, Inc. in partnership with the Mississippi Food Network. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
  • A volunteer loads water into a waiting car at New Hope Baptist Church Friday afternoon. The water giveaway was provided by the Lefleur’s Bluff Chapter of The Links, Inc. in partnership with the Mississippi Food Network. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
  • Water is loaded into vehicles during a water giveaway at New Hope Baptist Church in Jackson. The water giveaway was provided by the Lefleur’s Bluff Chapter of The Links, Inc. in partnership with the Mississippi Food Network. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
  • Volunteers load water into vehicles at New Hope Baptist Church Friday afternoon in Jackson. The water giveaway was provided by the Lefleur’s Bluff Chapter of The Links, Inc. in partnership with the Mississippi Food Network. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
  • Water is loaded into vehicles during a water giveaway at New Hope Baptist Church in Jackson. The water giveaway was provided by the Lefleur’s Bluff Chapter of The Links, Inc. in partnership with the Mississippi Food Network. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
  • Rachel McBride, 5, passes out facemasks for those who need them during a water giveaway at New Hope Baptist Church in Jackson Friday afternoon. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
  • Volunteers load water into vehicles at New Hope Baptist Church Friday afternoon in Jackson. The water giveaway was provided by the Lefleur’s Bluff Chapter of The Links, Inc. in partnership with the Mississippi Food Network. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
  • Volunteers load water into vehicles at New Hope Baptist Church Friday afternoon in Jackson. The water giveaway was provided by the Lefleur’s Bluff Chapter of The Links, Inc. in partnership with the Mississippi Food Network. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
  • Volunteers load water into vehicles at New Hope Baptist Church Friday afternoon in Jackson. The water giveaway was provided by the Lefleur’s Bluff Chapter of The Links, Inc. in partnership with the Mississippi Food Network. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
  • Volunteers load water into vehicles at New Hope Baptist Church Friday afternoon in Jackson. The water giveaway was provided by the Lefleur’s Bluff Chapter of The Links, Inc. in partnership with the Mississippi Food Network. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
  • Partial road closure on North West Street near Millsaps College as work crews repair a waterline. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
  • Motorists traveling north on North West Street are re-routed to side streets in Mid-Town as crews repair a waterline near Millsaps College in Jackson. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
  • Motorists traveling north on North West Street are re-routed to side streets in Mid-Town as crews repair waterlines in Jackson. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
  • Motorists traveling north on North West Street are re-routed to side streets in Mid-Town as crews repair waterlines in Jackson. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
  • A motorist ignores the ‘Road Closed’ and ‘Detour’ signs on North West Street near Milsaps College. Work crews are repairing a waterline where North West intersects with Wesley Avenue. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
  • A work crew repairs a waterline at the intersection of North West Street and Wesley Avenue in Jackson. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
  • A work crew repairs a waterline at the intersection of North West Street and Wesley Avenue in Jackson. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
  • A city of Jackson Water Maintenance crew repairs a broken waterline Saturday on Pascagoula Street. Crews continue to repair the waterlines across the city in order to restore water to homes after severe winter storms crippled the state. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
  • A city of Jackson Water Maintenance crew works to repair a broken waterline Saturday on Pascagoula Street. Crews continue to repair the water lines across the city in order to restore water to homes after severe winter storms crippled the state. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
  • Water pumped from a hole dug by a water maintenance crew on Pascagoula Street in Jackson to repair a broken waterline Saturday. Crews continue to repair waterlines across the city in order to restore water to homes after severe winter storms crippled the city and state. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
  • A city of Jackson Water Maintenance crew repairs a broken waterline Saturday on Pascagoula Street. Crews continue to repair waterlines in order to restore water to homes after severe winter storms crippled the city and state. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
  • A city of Jackson Water Maintenance crew works to repair a broken waterline Saturday on Pascagoula Street. Crews continue to repair the water lines across the city in order to restore water to homes after severe winter storms crippled the state. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
  • Water is pumped from a large hole dug by a city of Jackson Water Maintenance crew working to repair a broken waterline Saturday on Pascagoula Street. Crews continue to repair the water lines across the city in order to restore water to homes after severe winter storms crippled the city and state. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
  • Water is pumped out as a city of Jackson Water Maintenance crew works to repair a broken waterline Saturday on Pascagoula Street. Crews continue to repair the water lines across the city in order to restore water to homes after severe winter storms crippled the state. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
  • A city of Jackson Water Maintenance crew works to repair a broken waterline Saturday on Pascagoula Street. Crews continue to repair the waterlines across the city in order to restore water to homes after severe winter storms crippled the city and state. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
  • A city of Jackson Water Maintenance crew works to repair a broken waterline Saturday on Pascagoula Street. Crews continue to repair the waterlines across the city in order to restore water to homes after severe winter storms crippled the city and state. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
  • A city of Jackson Water Maintenance crew works to repair a broken waterline Saturday on Pascagoula Street. Crews continue to repair waterlines in order to restore water to homes after severe winter storms crippled the capital city and the state. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
  • Nearly 1000 cases of bottled water were donated by Mississippi Food Network CEO Dr. Charles Beady, Jr. for a giveaway Saturday morning at St. Luther M. B. Church in Jackson. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
  • Volunteers of all ages with St. Luther M. B. Church, the Jackson Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi with middle and high school students they mentor, the “Kappa Gents”, load bottled water into vehicles Saturday at St. Luther M. B. Church in Jackson. Nearly a 1000 cases of bottled water were donated for the giveaway by the Mississippi Food Network. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
  • Volunteers including Mississippi Food Network CEO Charles Beady, Jr. (right), load bottled water into vehicles Saturday at St. Luther M. B. Church in Jackson. Nearly a 1000 cases of bottled water were donated for the giveaway by the Mississippi Food Network. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
  • Mississippi Food Network CEO Dr. Charles Beady Jr. prepares to load a case of water into a waiting vehicle Saturday morning at St. Luther M. B. Church. Nearly 1000 cases of bottled water were donated by the Mississippi Food Network for the giveaway in Jackson. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
  • A “Kappa Gents” volunteer loads bottled water into a vehicle Saturday at St. Luther M. B. Church in Jackson. “Kappa Gents” are middle and high school students mentored by the Jackson Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi. Nearly a 1000 cases of bottled water were donated for the giveaway by the Mississippi Food Network. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
  • Volunteers of all ages with St. Luther M. B. Church, the Jackson Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi with middle and high school students they mentor, the “Kappa Gents”, load bottled water into vehicles Saturday at St. Luther M. B. Church in Jackson. Nearly a 1000 cases of bottled water were donated for the giveaway by the Mississippi Food Network. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
  • A “Kappa Gents” volunteer loads bottled water into vehicles Saturday at St. Luther M. B. Church in Jackson. “Kappa Gents” are middle and high school students mentored by the Jackson Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi. Nearly a 1000 cases of bottled water were donated for the giveaway by the Mississippi Food Network. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
  • Volunteers load bottled water into vehicles Saturday at St. Luther M. B. Church in Jackson. Nearly a 1000 cases of bottled water were donated for the giveaway by the Mississippi Food Network. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
  • Young and older volunteers with St. Luther M. B. Church, the Jackson Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi with middle and high school students they mentor, the “Kappa Gents”, load bottled water into vehicles Saturday at St. Luther M. B. Church in Jackson. Nearly a 1000 cases of bottled water were donated for the giveaway by the Mississippi Food Network. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
  • St. Luther M. B. Church members and the Jackson Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi with the middle and high school students they mentor, the “Kappa Gents”, load bottled water into vehicles Saturday at St. Luther M. B. Church in Jackson. Nearly a 1000 cases of bottled water were donated for the giveaway by the Mississippi Food Network. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
  • Young and older volunteers with St. Luther M. B. Church, the Jackson Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi with middle and high school students they mentor, the “Kappa Gents”, load bottled water into vehicles Saturday at St. Luther M. B. Church in Jackson. Nearly a 1000 cases of bottled water were donated for the giveaway by the Mississippi Food Network. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
  • A volunteer with the Jackson Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi loads bottled water into a motorist’s truck Saturday at St. Luther M. B. Church in Jackson. Nearly a 1000 cases of bottled water were donated by the Mississippi Food Network for the water giveaway. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
  • Volunteers load boxes filled with non-perishable items including bottled water, fruit, chicken and vegetables into waiting vehicles lined up at the Arts Center of Mississippi Saturday. The donations were provided by the Greater Jackson Arts Council in partnership with the Reuben Anderson Center for Justice. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
  • Volunteers load boxes filled with non-perishable items including bottled water, fruit, chicken and vegetables into waiting vehicles lined up at the Arts Center of Mississippi Saturday. The donations were provided by the Greater Jackson Arts Council in partnership with the Reuben Anderson Center for Justice. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
  • A volunteer loads boxes filled with non-perishable items including bottled water, fruit, chicken and vegetables into waiting vehicles lined up at the Arts Center of Mississippi Saturday. The donations were provided by the Greater Jackson Arts Council in partnership with the Reuben Anderson Center for Justice. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today

Jackson’s long-term infrastructure problems are far from over, but the crisis the mid-February winter storm left on the city’s residents has been largely addressed.

The city’s large-scale water service disruptions are over for most residents, with the remaining incidents of low or no water pressure being mostly caused by faulty water meters or broken pipes at individual buildings. On March 17, the city was able to lift the precautionary boil water notice on it’s 43,000 surface water connections.

A historic winter storm beginning on Feb. 14 froze water plant equipment and burst many pipes in the capital city, and at least 40,000 residents — mostly Black — were without water for about three weeks.

City leaders, who have neglected funding the water system for decades, say they need major investment from the state to repair system, which is estimated to cost at least $1 billion. State lawmakers are debating how to address the water crisis before they are scheduled to leave Jackson on April 4.

Aid may also come to the city from the federal government. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith filed a bill on March 16 that taps three federal agencies to provide the city with a combination of loans, loan forgiveness and grants for water infrastructure projects. 

READ MORE: Lawmakers consider Jackson water crisis options as end of session nears

READ MORE: Hyde-Smith proposes federal funding to address Jackson water crisis

This story was updated on March 19.

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Will, a native of Vicksburg, covered all things public health in Mississippi with a specific focus on the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vickie King has experience as a professional photographer spanning 35 years- from childhood purchasing her first camera by selling flower seeds to neighbors, as a stringer for Associated Press in Des Moines, Iowa, a freelancer shooting an album cover to your loved one’s wedding, and your kids and pets at a J.C. Penney portrait studio. She joins the Mississippi Today team as a photojournalist.

A native Mississippian and resident of Jackson, Vickie was born in Laurel.
You know her work from years as a staff photographer for the Clarion-Ledger. Her award-winning photography has appeared in such publications as the New York Times, Editor & Publisher Magazine, People Magazine, in national news broadcasts, and books depicting the devastation of Hurricane Katrina to the glory of Ole Miss football.

Most recently, she is the former photographer, Special Projects Officer IV, Staff Officer I, videographer, and online content producer for the Mississippi Department of Corrections. She is also a Pulitzer Prize nominee for Spot News.

Vickie is a graduate of Simpson College, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Media Relations.