Mississippi Gov. Reeves declares emergency, activates National Guard as capital without water

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves on Tuesday declared a state of emergency and activated the National Guard in response to the water crisis in the capital of Jackson resulting from a failed water treatment plant.

More than 150,000 residents are without access to safe water and many homes and businesses have little to no water pressure after the plant started failing this week.

"The city cannot produce enough water to reliably flush toilets, fight fire and meet other critical needs," the Republican governor also said. "This is a very different situation from a boil water notice."

He advised residents to not drink water from their homes.

Authorities will distribute drinking water and non-drinking water, Reeves wrote in his emergency declaration.

The state offered to pay for half of all emergency repairs to Jackson's water treatment facility, with the city covering the other half.