NEW ORLEANS — You may be asking yourself why it feels like the New Orleans area has been under so many boil advisories recently.
WWL Louisiana asked a civil engineer why and for what reason.
Last week, Entergy New Orleans said a Mylar balloon hit a power line and knocked out power, causing the water pressure to drop too low for too long and forcing us under a two-day boil advisory. Monday night, another boil advisory was issued for part of New Orleans East.
Well, New Orleanians, we may not be alone in this issue.
Dr. Norma Jean Mattei, a civil engineer at the University of New Orleans, said, "It's not just small and mid-size cities; it can be very large cities."
This summer, part of Atlanta was under a boil advisory, and a recent water crisis in Jackson, Mississippi, left some residents without water to shower or flush the toilet.
Dr. Jean Mattei said, "We really have to become more diligent when it comes to maintaining our infrastructure." She said a combination of old infrastructure, global warming, and new water testing requirements are reasons New Orleans and many other cities see boil advisories.
She said, "Forever chemicals PFAS's now must be removed to below a safe level."
She says to prevent them, power and water companies need to be in strong standing.
An Entergy New Orleans spokesperson said they're "currently working with the City Council on an Accelerated Resilience Plan that would invest in the grid and harden projects across the City—at a reduced cost to customers. We look forward to continuing the work to approve the current phase of the plan as we seek to create a more resilient energy system for our community."
The Sewerage and Water Board said, "A drop in water pressure below 20 psi can lead to potential backflow contamination and groundwater infiltration into pipes. Water must be tested to confirm that no contamination entered the drinking water system."
We all expect water to come out of the tap when we turn it on. Dr. Norma Jean Mattei says that without a robust power and water system in place and with worsening global warming issues, this city and many others could see more boil advisories in the future.
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