TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Kate Prince on Nov 22, 2021

The U.S. Supreme Court has unanimously sided with Tennessee in a 15-year legal battle with Mississippi over the rights to water in an aquifer that runs under both states, the Daily Memphian reports. Mississippi originally sued Memphis and Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division (MLGW) in 2005, claiming it was the exclusive right of DeSoto County to use the water and asking for $615 million in damages. The Supreme Court today rejected the claim that Tennessee had been wrongly taking water from Mississippi and ruled that MLGW has the right to pump water from the aquifer. Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland said the ruling “ensures that Memphians will continue to enjoy drinking water from the aquifer for generations to come.” Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery in a statement applauded the high court for its ruling, calling it a “clear victory for Tennessee on all issues, and for all states who share underground water resources.”