Though the weather has warmed up, problems caused by this week’s cold spell are expected to linger through the weekend. Broken pipes and overuse strained the water supply. Boil water advisories continue for Jefferson Parish and the East Bank due to low water pressure.
Mayor Mitch Landrieu held a press conference today, calling on residents to do their part. “Even though the weather is really nice and we’re thawing out, the best way to make sure that we’re able to restore the kind of pressure that we need is for people to conserve their usage,” says Landrieu.
He says the pressure is rising as pipes get fixed, but the boil water advisories cannot be lifted until testing is complete. The Sewerage & Water Board continues to make repairs. Residents should monitor for broken pipes. More information can be found at nola.gov/ready.
Major highways are now open, as is the airport. Public and Catholic schools in Orleans, Jefferson, Lafourche and Saint John the Baptist parishes are closed today.
Officials hope to have all schools and city services back up and running Monday. Meantime, the state has sent in emergency supplies such as water tankers in case of major fires.
