A boil water advisory is a great opportunity to get a glass of tapwater. Although it only happens a few times a year, the advisory is one of the most unique aspects of life in New Orleans. It’s a fun side effect of living in a historic city that is relatively safe to drink. You won’t have to worry about your water safety if this advisory is in place.
This advisory was issued due to a break in the water main, which caused water pressure to drop below 20 pounds per sq inch. The break could have allowed bacteria to enter the system. While S&WB crews repair the break, customers should boil their tap water or purchase bottled water. Residents with compromised immune systems should use safe water for washing hands and bathing. The safest options are bottled or boiled water.
To help people understand the importance boiling water advisories, the city has prepared video messages. It also provides general safety advice. Loyno Alert notifications can also be signed up if you own a smartphone or another type of communication device. The office also has general safety advice on NOLA Ready. If you own a home, make sure to check with your local government. There’s a good chance the boil water advisory is in effect and affecting your home.
The city’s Sewerage and Water Board could have done more to prepare for a power outage, but Korban said that improved communication wouldn’t have made a difference. The city’s water tower was also temporarily shut down while construction was underway, so they failed to prepare for an Entergy interruption. It took two hours to turn the power back on, and 20 minutes to restore water pressure. It was also a very unpopular emergency call.
The outage at the Carrollton plant took two out of four operating water pumps offline at 6:13pm, triggering a boil water advisory. Although the Sewerage and Water Board managed to bring Turbine 6 online in time, the water pressure remained below the threshold of 20 psi for the first nine minutes. After that, a second pump was brought online and the speed of its operation was increased, which increased the pressure in the system.
New Orleans residents can usually anticipate a boil water advisory, despite the unforeseeable effects of the storm. They can monitor the pressure in their faucets to see if there are any. Their 40-year-old espresso maker is a reliable soothsayer. The alert will come as soon as the pressure drops. This is when a boil-water advisory is likely. So, what should you do? While the water pressure drops and the water is too dangerous to drink, the coffee machine will continue to operate as normal.