Operation Zero Out Campaign Seeks to Clear Expensive Water Bills in Jackson, Mississippi

Grassroots effort aims to provide relief to residents facing inaccurate and unaffordable water bills

Apr. 15, 2026 at 10:48pm

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A brightly colored, high-contrast silkscreen print of a single water faucet icon repeated in a tight grid pattern, conceptually representing the water crisis in Jackson, Mississippi and the community's efforts to provide relief.A grassroots campaign in Jackson, Mississippi is working to clear residents' burdensome water bills, exposing systemic inequities in the city's aging infrastructure.Jackson Today

A new campaign called Operation Zero Out: Jackson is working to help residents in the Mississippi capital pay off their expensive and often inaccurate water bills. The effort was started by local activists Rita Brent and Brad Franklin, who are partnering with other community organizations to raise funds and directly assist those in need, prioritizing the elderly and disabled. The water crisis in Jackson has been an ongoing issue for years, stemming from aging infrastructure and mismanagement by previous city administrations.

Why it matters

The water bill crisis in Jackson disproportionately impacts low-income and elderly residents, many of whom are on fixed incomes and unable to afford the high costs. This has led to water shutoffs and residents having to rely on bottled water, which further strains their limited budgets. The campaign aims to provide immediate relief while also drawing attention to the systemic failures that have allowed this problem to persist for so long.

The details

Operation Zero Out was launched in late March 2026 with a water relief concert and donation drive. Since then, the campaign has received numerous calls and emails from Jackson residents seeking assistance with their water bills, which can reach thousands of dollars due to faulty meters and aging infrastructure. The first recipient of the campaign's aid was Felicia Hayes, a 57-year-old former business owner who had her water shut off for 8 days after falling behind on her $400 March bill. Brent and Franklin, along with partners like Mississippi Move and One Voice, paid Hayes' bill to restore her water service.

  • Operation Zero Out was launched in late March 2026 with a kickoff event.
  • Felicia Hayes' water was shut off on March 24, 2026 due to her inability to pay a $400 bill.
  • On April 1, 2026, Brent and Franklin visited Hayes' home and paid her outstanding water bill.

The players

Rita Brent

A local comedienne who co-founded Operation Zero Out to help Jackson residents with their water bills.

Brad Franklin

A community activist who co-founded Operation Zero Out with Rita Brent to address the water crisis in Jackson.

Felicia Hayes

A 57-year-old former business owner in Jackson who had her water shut off for 8 days due to an inability to pay a $400 bill, and was the first recipient of assistance from Operation Zero Out.

Mississippi Move

A community organization partnering with Operation Zero Out to raise funds and provide water bill relief.

One Voice

A community organization partnering with Operation Zero Out to raise funds and provide water bill relief.

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What they’re saying

“Now that I'm on this fixed income, it showed me how much money I was wasting, you know? On frivolous things: all these cable channels, never at home to watch, paying 400-something dollars, 500-something dollars for a phone bill.”

— Felicia Hayes

“As a homeowner, it is hell when you ain't got no money coming in and something go down. I never thought I would experience this. I ran through all my retirement just trying to keep my house.”

— Felicia Hayes

“It's really nothing they can do because it's such an overwhelming problem. And you know, I kind of feel silly complaining about that amount when folks have two, three, four thousand dollars upwards of that.”

— Rita Brent

“If this wasn't an 85% Black city. I really, really feel in my heart of hearts that this problem would not be happening.”

— Brad Franklin

“I know there's a new regional authority that they're building. I hope that it is effective. I hate that it has come to this where it looks like Jackson's not gonna have a say-so because we know that no other city would be subject to that, not having a say-so in how their city government works.”

— Rita Brent

What’s next

The Operation Zero Out campaign is still in its early stages, but the organizers are working to streamline their process for assisting residents and meeting the high demand for aid. They are also advocating for long-term solutions to address the systemic issues that have led to the water crisis in Jackson.

The takeaway

The water bill crisis in Jackson, Mississippi highlights the disproportionate burden placed on low-income and elderly residents, many of whom are struggling to afford basic necessities due to aging infrastructure, mismanagement, and racial inequities. The grassroots Operation Zero Out campaign is providing immediate relief while also drawing attention to the need for comprehensive, equitable solutions to this longstanding problem.