NEW ORLEANS — Residents of a street in the Hollygrove area are worried a manhole leak could cause serious damage. They say it has been gushing water for almost two weeks and, in that time, part of the street has sunk several inches.
They also worry it is becoming something of an attraction in the neighborhood, as over the past two weeks, they have seen kids play in the water and adults use it to drink, bathe, and wash cars.
“August 5th is when we noticed the water,” said Maria Sutton, who lives directly across the street from the manhole. “The fountain feature, I guess you could call it, appeared about Wednesday, Thursday of that week.”
Since then, neighbors told WWL Louisiana that water has been gushing nonstop.
The flow is so strong it lifts the manhole cover and causes it to make a loud, repetitive clanking sound. “We’ve kind of tried to get used to it just so we can get some good night’s rest,” said Sutton.
Video from the Suttons’ home security camera has shown people coming to the leak and using the water to drink and bathe. Other neighbors said they have seen kids playing in it, and in at least one instance, someone parking, pulling out a bucket, and beginning to wash their car.
But neighbors’ biggest concern is for the street itself.
They said it was partly re-paved recently and was flat in the area near the manhole. In the last two weeks, the area of asphalt under the heaviest flow of the water has sunk several inches. “We’re worried it’s just going to collapse,” said Maria’s husband Jason Sutton.
Once it became clear the leak was not letting up, neighbors began reaching out to City agencies. “I know about five of us in the neighborhood have put in calls with concern regarding this issue, I’m sure there’s a lot more,” said Maria Sutton.
She escalated the problem to City Councilmember Joe Giarrusso, who relayed a message from the Sewerage and Water Board that a work order had been created and that the agency “average[s] up to 4 weeks on these issues.”
The Suttons, perhaps more than anyone, are hoping for a quicker fix. They put their house on the market not long before the leak began and have already begun showing it to potential buyers. “They were very kind, they all kind of gave the comment of ‘it’s New Orleans,’ which felt a little embarrassing because it’s true.”
WWL Louisiana reached out to the Sewerage and Water Board and the Mayor’s Office Saturday evening to see if there may be a more specific repair timeline.
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