For Tamiko and Otis Smith, the ongoing drinking water crisis in their hometown of Jackson, Mississippi, has become a life-or-death struggle.

After losing one of his kidneys due to cancer several years ago, Otis, 57, has been forced to depend on at-home hemodialysis four days a week to stay alive. For years, water from the couple's tap was piped into Otis' hemodialysis machine that filters and warms the water, then mixes it into a dialysate that filters the longtime EMT driver's blood.

"It's his lifeline," says Tamiko, 54. "If he doesn't have those treatments, he's going to die."

RELATED: Mississippi Gov. Warns 'Do Not Drink the Water' amid Ongoing Running Water Crisis in Jackson

But the city's ongoing issues with contaminated water — that has been shown to contain E. coli bacteria and lead — has turned the process into a nightmare for the couple. And Tamiko, who oversees her husband's at-home treatments, realized she could no longer trust using potentially contaminated water from their tap for her husband's hemodialysis.

"We can't use that water," says Tamiko, describing how the latest crisis — which began on Aug. 29 when the city's long-deteriorating water system crashed due to river flooding — has made their situation even worse. "We just can't rely on it."

Instead, the couple is now forced to rely on bags filled with sterile water (mixed with the dialysate) that they receive in the mail and are stockpiled in a bedroom in their house. "Those bags," she adds, "are now his lifeline because we don't have clean water."

RELATED: Here's How Mississippi Residents Are Coping During the Jackson Water Crisis

Getty The City of Jackson, Miss.

But Tamiko's worries don't end there. Because her husband has a port installed in his chest that connects with his hemodialysis machine, she lives in fear that he could contract a blood infection every time he showers in potentially bacteria-laden water.

"He has to be so careful with bathing," she says, explaining that Otis has ended up in the hospital on two occasions because of blood infections. "Even if we boil the water I don't trust it because it can still have bacteria in it that could cause an infection and possibly kill him. It's a constant fear and not something anyone should have to be concerned about in this day and age."

Want to get the biggest stories from PEOPLE every weekday? Subscribe to our new podcast, PEOPLE Every Day, to get the essential celebrity, entertainment and human interest news stories Monday through Friday.

The stress, admits Tamiko, can sometimes be overwhelming. "I don't let him know how nervous I am," she says, "and that helps keep him from being nervous."

Exactly what the future holds for the worried, frustrated couple — along with the other 180,000 residents of Jackson — isn't clear, but the Smiths don't see the situation improving anytime soon.

"I don't see an end in sight, and that's just awful," explains Tamiko. "You have to be strong to live in Jackson. This place isn't for the faint of heart. . . But no one should have to live like this."

Ana de Armas is confused by the NC-17 rating for her movie "Blonde," saying she has seen movies with more obscene content that didn't receive that rating.

Police are investigating the death of a 2-year-old girl who was allegedly left unattended in a vehicle outside a home in Franklin, New Jersey.

It is now day four of the Jackson, Mississippi water crisis, and there doesn’t seem to be an immediate end in sight. While 600 Mississippi national guardsmen are set to be deployed today to help with water distribution, there is no timetable on when the O.B. Curtis Water Treatment Plant water pumps will be fixed. Residents are being told that the cloudy water from their faucets is not consumable to drink or cook with, but they can use it to shower (as long as they don’t consume the water) and wa

Chest pain is the most common heart attack symptom, but women are more likely to have additional signs, according to the American Heart Association.

A new mom saw blood, mucous in her stool, felt pelvic pain. Her symptoms were dismissed as she recently gave birth. The diagnosis was stage 4 colorectal cancer.

Doctors have been sharing photos of their patients' remarkable hair re-growth after consuming oral forms of minoxidil, a cheap blood pressure drug.

The Beverly Hills, 90210 alum opened up to PEOPLE about being diagnosed with osteoarthritis and how she manages it daily

A cardiologist believes Decker Sharp may be at risk for sudden cardiac death while exercising because of his aortic stenosis, which is the result of his congenital heart defect.

Ocular migraines affect your vision in one or both eyes. Here, experts share ocular migraine symptoms, causes, and treatments.

Misinformation about the viral disease is everywhere. Here are the real facts you should know, from how it spreads to who is at risk.

Here’s something that may come as no surprise: Eating a lot of ultra-processed foods is not good for your health. […] The post Studies link early death, cancer to ultra-processed foods appeared first on TheGrio.

Two experts breakdown what's fact and what's fiction.

Over-the-counter hearing aids will be hitting shelves as soon as October.

Tingling is a common symptom of multiple sclerosis, but there are also many other causes of this sensation in the body, according to MDs. Here's what to know.

All the reasons why you need more of this sunshine vitamin in your life, plus the best vitamin D food sources and how much you should be getting in your diet.

The debate on whether to label MPV a "sexually transmitted disease" that affects mostly "gay and bi men" rages on.

As summer ends, so does grilling season. And if you’re planning that one last cookout this holiday weekend, experts warn […] The post Labor Day heads up: Hot dogs, sausage even worse for your health when grilled, experts say appeared first on TheGrio.

Story at a glance The increased popularity and proliferation of ultra-processed foods in the United States has raised concerns among health professionals, as these foods are linked with a host of poor health outcomes. Now, new research shows that for U.S. men, eating more of these foods is associated with a nearly 30 percent increased…

The viral monkeypox outbreak has compromised the well-being of gay and bisexual men, as well as transgender and queer people.

If an intradermal vaccine doesn't immediately produce a "bleb," it needs to be redone. Hard lumps are common side effects, and can last a while.