US federal court says no constitutional right to clean water in Mississippi case
A US federal appeals court ruled that there is no constitutional right to clean water, dismissing a lawsuit brought by residents of Jackson, Mississippi. The court suggested that residents should pursue tort claims or political remedies instead of constitutional litigation.
Why it matters
This ruling sets a significant legal precedent regarding the limits of federal constitutional protections for basic public utilities and environmental health.
Residents of Jackson, Mississippi, say that they have long reeled from water crises. Photograph: Ben Hasty/Reading Eagle/Getty Images Residents of Jackson, Mississippi, say that they have long reeled from water crises. Photograph: Ben Hasty/Reading Eagle/Getty Images Mississippi US federal court says no constitutional right to clean water in Mississippi case Appeals court dismisses lawsuit from Jackson residents claiming that tainted drinking water violated their rights
Prefer the Guardian on Google A US appellate court has decided that the federal constitution does not guarantee a right to clean water.
That legal opinion came in the form of a decision on Friday from the fifth circuit court of appeals to uphold a lower court’s dismissal of a 2022 lawsuit from several Jackson, Mississippi, residents claiming that tainted drinking water violated their constitutional rights.
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