Jackson deserves a water system that works steadily and safely, and a future where families do not have to plan their lives around uncertainty. JXN Water’s responsibility under the federal court’s oversight is to keep building past that chapter with steady operations, disciplined maintenance, and continued repair work that strengthens reliability over time.

Today, Federal Judge Henry T. Wingate issued an order approving the rate increase JXN Water requires as a foundation to long-term financial sustainability. Judge Wingate left no stone unturned in his deliberations regarding the need for the increase. In accordance with his order, JXN Water will implement an update of approximately 11.7 percent for all customers. The average single family monthly bill will increase by less than $10 per month, to approximately $88 per month for combined water and sewer service. Only the volumetric charges are changed with this update.

JXN Water does not like increasing rates. Unfortunately, we inherited a system severely underfunded with a long history of no rate increases. We understand that any increase is felt, and we approach this with care and respect for the households and businesses who make up this city. The purpose of this update is to support long-term reliability so that service can keep improving in ways customers experience directly, including stronger day-to-day operations, maintenance that reduces emergency disruptions, and continued progress on rebuilding a system that has been under strain for decades. Further, JXN Water is committed to keeping our costs down for the next 4 years, proposing a flat operating budget, absorbing any inflationary increases with cost-saving efficiencies.

Even with this rate increase, the water system will not be on a sustainable financial path until 2029, and additional smaller rate increases are projected between now and 2029 to get the system in the black and build the foundation required to continue in a financially sound manner for the foreseeable future.

JXN Water will continue sharing updates on system performance and repair progress as this work moves forward. Our focus remains the same: steady improvement, responsible management, and service that becomes more dependable over time for the people of Jackson and for the generations coming behind them.