NEW ORLEANS — New Orleans mayor Latoya Cantrell says as of now, the drinking water in the parish is safe and the Sewerage and Water Board is actively procuring contracts to build the temporary pipeline needed to mitigate the saltwater intrusion.
Speaking at her weekly press briefing on Wednesday, Cantrell says the city continues to work hard and now is not the time to panic regarding the saltwater intrusion.
“We’re not thinking about closing down the city. And I think none of that this isn't COVID. And we have time on our side. And we're using it wisely,” Cantrell said at her briefing.
“So, the Sewerage and Water Board has moved forward with procurement in regard to contractors to do and work with what's happening. But always wanting to make sure that we get the best outcome possible because it's not a matter of if it's when.”
When it comes to where Orleans parish stands currently in its effort to mitigate the saltwater intrusion, when compared to neighboring parishes, Cantrell says the parish is ‘leading the way’.
“I'm saying don't believe the hype. The city of New Orleans, Sewerage and Water Board, we're leading in this capacity, or we're getting the responses that were due,” she said.
“Again, at the federal level. I've been always leaning in, always attached to the briefings, always advocating picking up the phone and calling myself so no asks have been done by anybody else. First, but me. But of course, echo, you continue to ask. And you continue to serve, circle the wagons to demonstrate why the solution is a collaborative one, that there's buy-in across the board, that we can actually get it done, that we have the talent to get it done. And we need the resources the federal government is listening, and the state is listening.”
Meanwhile, over in Jefferson Parish, parish officials announced on Wednesday that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers gave final approval to start laying down the first three miles of the flexible water line on the west bank of Jefferson Parish.
The pipeline will start at the intake in Marrero and run to the treatment facility in Waggeman.
► Get breaking news from your neighborhood delivered directly to you by downloading the new FREE WWL-TV News app now in the IOS App Store or Google Play.