As Jackson continues to work through widespread water billing issues, some customers still receive water for free.

Suzie Cranston, who rents a house in the Oak Creek Subdivision of south Jackson, recently discovered her tenant of six years has used an illegal hookup to the city's water system to bypass the meter and water billing. Cranston estimates this constitutes a $5,000 loss to city revenue.

When the tenant moved out and Cranston asked the billing department to transfer the water account to her name, a utility crew visited the house to read the meter and found the illegal hook up, or straight pipe.

While the city acknowledges this is an issue, officials maintain they are not able to discern how many illegal hookups exist and how much they could be costing the city.

"As far as having a number to report, we cannot compile that information in a comprehensive and meaningful way at this time. We know this occurs and that is the reason we encourage the public to report any suspected water theft," said Sheila Byrd, Mayor Tony Yarber's spokeswoman, in an email.

Jackson Police Department arrested two Public Works employees, Marcus Banks and Percy Watkins, last year for stealing water from the city, ultimately resulting in embezzlement charges. Banks' case is set to go to trial in January after several continuances, but there is no indictment documented for Watkins.

In May, former Jackson Public Works Director Kishia Powell told the Jackson City Council that the city ordered special locks to stop folks from hooking up illegal connections. She also indicated it might not solve the issue.

“There’s nothing that keeps people that don’t want to honestly pay for water from going right back out, removing the meter that was installed and putting in another straight pipe,” Powell said in a May meeting. “Last week we had an issue where the person pulled it three times.”

The city released a statement in March explaining the harm of straight piping to the city and urging Jacksonians to report any cases of water theft.

"The revenue lost from water theft hampers the city’s ability to adequately repair water leaks, replace old water pipes, and hire additional staff to provide timely customer service. When people steal water service, they are stealing from everyone, because theft of service contributes to increased rates and fees," the release reads.

Cranston plans to address the City Council about her discovery at its regular meeting Tuesday.

"I have lived in Jackson for 50 years. I have seen Jackson go downhill from the most wonderful city in the world to a city that is like a Third World country. You ride down the street and you fall into potholes," Cranston told The Clarion-Ledger. "I know it can be fixed, but somebody is keeping it from being fixed. Why is the whole city of Jackson not up in arms that their water rates are going up and up and up when there are thousands of people in Jackson not receiving a water bill?"

The last time Jackson instituted a water rate increase was in 2013, though a report from Raftelis, a Charlotte, North Carolina-based financial consulting firm hired by the city, recommended a hike in 2016 to make up for dwindling revenues. The city declined to increase water rates this year, and Councilman Melvin Priester said the water sewer revenues for 2016 barely met the necessary threshold to avoid a hike.


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