JEFFERSON, La. — Contractors are staging equipment and materials to begin building freshwater pipelines on both banks of Jefferson Parish.
“Once the Corps gives me the green light to just start laying the pipe, then we will start laying pipe,” JP Public Works Director Mark Drewes said. “So, hopefully sometime this week. We would love to be able to do it tomorrow (Tuesday).”
The pipelines would draw water upriver from parish intakes to keep a steady flow of fresh water at the parish’s two treatment plants. Saltwater now moving up the Mississippi is expected to impact JP by mid to late October. The plan is to roll out 12-inch diameter flexible piping along the river battures to carry the fresh water.
It would be a 15-mile-long pipeline on the west bank and 10 miles on the east bank. Last week, New Orleans officials talked about partnering with JP on the east bank.
“It will address both the city of New Orleans east bank Carrollton Water Plant and Jefferson Parish east bank water plant which are the two largest draws in this region,” New Orleans Homeland Security Director Colin Arnold said at the time.
Drewes told WWL-TV, that the parish decided not to partner with New Orleans because JP only produces about 40 million gallons of treated water a day. That’s compared to about three times that amount at the Orleans East Bank plant.
“We literally met with the Sewerage and Water Board, and we came to the conclusion that we feel, look it’s just too difficult,” Drewes said. “We would probably need two, 48-inch pipes. There’s just not enough time.”
Drewes estimates the cost of operating the pipelines to be about $12.5 million a month with the parish fronting the initial costs.
Orleans doesn’t appear to be as far along in the process as JP. A sewerage and water board spokeswoman said bid packages were sent to potential contractors on Friday. The board was expecting them to submit bids on Monday afternoon.
On the other side of the water facility's fence is lay flat pipe, that's the pipe that will be laid from the water intake facility in Marrero all the way to Waggeman. 20-25,000 gallons of water per minute will flow through these pipes.
Some Westwego residents told Eyewitness News they have little hope in the parishes' plan to run a 15-mile-long pipeline on the west bank and 10 miles on the east bank from the water intake facility in Jefferson to north of Kenner.
Lisa Gros said, "I am not confident in nothing, but I just pray that they are going to do the right thing for us."
Miles Babin said, "I have kinda lost confidence in the government to do much of anything right, they seem to just get us deeper and deeper in a hole, but I hope in this case they get it right."
Text WATER to 504-529-4444 for the latest updates on the saltwater intrusion emergency.
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