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Jackson, Miss., Infrastructure issues nothing new to water hoarder

James and Jean Brooks won't even drink Jackson city water. As residents for decades, the recent city water crisis was nothing new.

Barbara Gauntt, Mississippi Clarion Ledger

Billions of dollars. That's how much federal funding Mississippi is set to receive as part of the recently passed infrastructure bill, according to information shared from the White House.

Should the bill pass in theUnited StatesHouse of Representatives and become law, Mississippi will receive nearly $4.5 billion in infrastructure funding over the next five years, according to a fact sheet published by the Biden administration.

In addition to the $4.5 billion, Mississippi is eligible to apply for additional funds to complete projectsofficials saywould provide "substantial economic benefits" to the state.

Of Mississippi's two Republican senators, Cindy Hyde-Smith and Roger Wicker, only Wicker voted for the package. In a statement afterward, Hyde-Smith acknowledged the plan would benefit Mississippi.

Mississippi's needs are apparent; the American Society of Civil Engineers gave the state a D+ grade on its infrastructure report card.

"To be able to provide safe drinking water, a sustainable infrastructure, a resilient infrastructure, and, might I add, an equitable infrastructure has to be a part of our plan to build back better," Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba told Biden Wednesday.

More than three-fourths of the allocatedmoney, about $3.5 billion, will go to fixing roads and bridges. There are more than 5,840 miles of highway and 1,386 bridges in Mississippi that are in poor condition, according to information from the Federal Transit Authority.

The next biggest slice will go to water system repairs in the state. Mississippi is in line to receive $429 million to improve and repair water systems across the entire state. That money will be divided among different cities and water systems, according to the bill's text.

READ MORE: Federal infrastructure money 'only hope' for fixing Jackson sewer and water woes

About $223 million will go towardexpanding public transit in the state. Non-white Mississippians are almost three times as likely to use public transit, according toBiden administration officials. About four out of every 10 public transit vehicle is over due for replacement.

The other significant chunks of funding will go to expanding internet access and to improving the state's airports.

Mississippi will receive a minimum of $100 million to increasing broadband coverage across the state. The federal governmentestimates about 531,000 people lack internet access, and that nearly a quarter of Mississippi households don't have an internet subscription, according to a press release.

The state's airports will get $99 million to make general infrastructure improvements.

The rest of the money will be allocated to wildfire prevention, beefing up cyber security and to building a network of electric vehicle charging stations across the state.

Lee O. Sanderlin is an investigative and political reporter covering the state of Mississippi. Got a story tip? You can call him at 601-559-3857, send it to LSanderlin@gannett.com or message him on Twitter@LeeOSanderlin.

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Mississippi could receive billions to fix roads, water from infrastructure bill - Clarion Ledger