NEW ORLEANS — The New Orleans Sewerage & Water Board has canceled the precautionary boil water advisory for parts of Algiers on Monday. The decision was made in coordination with the Louisiana Department of Health.
The agency said that bacteriological tests confirmed that water in the area was safe to drink and could be used for personal use. Water samples across the area tested negative for contamination.
People who did not use their water during the boil water advisory should flush their plumping by running water through their system for several minutes.
Original story below:
The Sewerage & Water Board issued a boil water advisory for parts of Algiers Sunday afternoon according, officials said.
The advisory applies to people living in "the Upper Coast of Algiers bounded by the Noland Canal, the Normal Canal, and the Donner Canal, which includes the Tall Timbers subdivision, as well as the Lower Coast Algiers area," the release said.
People using running water in that area should use bottled or boiled tap water to drink, cook, clean food or brush teeth until further notice, a release from the S&WB said.
Residents with compromised immune systems should also use safe water to wash hands, shower or bathe.
The S&WB and the Louisiana Department of Health work together to issue boil water advisories out of caution whenever water pressure drops below 20 pounds per square inch.
Customers in other areas of the city are not affected and do not need to boil their water.
Agreeing with LDH recommendations, the S&WB issued these advisories out of an abundance of caution is the right thing to do. The concern is that a pressure drop inside a water pipe could allow contamination.
To continue to prevent the spread of COVID-19 during a boil water advisory, the S&WB said residents should wash their hands often with boiled or bottled water.
Healthy adults should take the following precautions:
Washing hands: Use soap and tap water, dry hands, then apply hand sanitizer; the safest option is to wash with bottled or boiled water.
Showering or bathing: Be careful not to swallow any water. Infants, young children and disabled persons should be supervised to ensure water is not ingested. Residents with open wounds, chronic illness or weakened immune systems should use boiled or bottled water to bathe until the advisory is lifted.
Residents will be notified when the advisory is lifted, the release said.
Residents with any questions can call 52-WATER (504.529.2837).
How to boil water during an advisory:
Bring water to a rolling boil in a clean container for a full minute. If the water has a flat taste afterward, shake it in a bottle or pour it from one container to another.
For more recommendations for managing a boil water advisory visit the City of New Orleans plan here: http://ready.nola.gov/plan/boil-water/
