NEW ORLEANS — News of saltwater threatening drinking water has people rushing to the stores to stock up on bottled water, but government officials are saying there is no need to do that.
Governor John Bel Edwards said, "It is not necessary to go and buy large amounts of bottled water. This is different. The entire state, nation are not involved in this issue."
All the infrastructure is still in place to bring water into the area, but still shoppers are loading up their grocery baskets.
Usually when the Saints are away for a game, people who are “making” groceries fill their baskets with snack foods, and alcohol for home gatherings, but not this weekend.
“Because they say we're not going to have nothing but salt water, and I need something to drink. You do what you gotta do, you know, when things get tough,” said a man loading his truck at the Breaux Mart in Belle Chasse.
There, it is water, water everywhere.
“As far as drinking the water, and cooking with it, I'm in fear of that. So, we need to get the water so we can have fresh water for our cooking and bathing, not even, washing our faces, and brushing our teeth so,” said a woman with a full cart. “I have a couple of cases at home, but I also have pets, that if the salt water does get into our water system, I don't want to be feeding my pets bad water,” said another woman.
Breaux Mart managers say normally four to five pallets are good for a weekend, but today they are putting out 38 pallets. They say their suppliers have enough to keep up with the demand.
VIDEO: How the saltwater intrusion happens and what's being done about it
“So far, they haven't had any issue. We've gotten everything that we ordered, and more. They've been very helpful,” said Lloyd Todd
Grocery Manager at Breaux Mart in Belle Chasse.
At the Costco in New Orleans, people waited in a long line for their stash of H2O, but at Sam's in Harvey, it's a different story.
“They've been out since early this morning. Nothing on the store shelves. Don't know when they're going to get anything in,” said a woman.
“They got a lady right by the door, ‘If y’all coming for water, don't bother coming in.’ It was empty. There was nothing there,” said a shopper.
“All these stores are not prepared, because people are panicking. You got kids, you got adults, you got middle aged people, citizens, old citizen that needs water,” said a man who was angry at elected officials, because he did not think they prepared for the situation early enough.
One shopper was upset after coming from a store in Harahan.
“It was a swarm of people around the water. I was scared, like it's a pandemic all over again, like the tissue. I was scared, Meg. It's just frightening,” she recalled.
On WWL Radio Friday morning, Jefferson Parish president Cynthia Lee-Sheng told people there is no need to panic.
“Jefferson Parish, we're not going to see this for a few weeks. So, it's not like a hurricane situation where you have to run out today to get your water because everybody's stuck at home. It's not that situation right now,” said Lee-Sheng.
And Lee-Sheng says right now Jefferson Parish is feeding millions of gallons of fresh water into the Plaquemines water intake. So, that’s cutting down on the amount of saltwater taken in at the Plaquemines system.
She says the Jefferson Parish water is, and will be safe, without salt, for several weeks.
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