NEW ORLEANS — UPDATE: Precautionary Boil Water Advisory Canceled for Lower 9th Ward and Surrounding Neighborhoods
Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans (SWBNO), in consultation with the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH), has canceled the precautionary boil water advisory as bacteriological tests confirmed that water in the area was safe to drink and could be used for personal needs. The advisory was in effect for the Lower 9th Ward, Holy Cross and Bywater neighborhoods which included:
- The entire Lower 9th Ward
- The area bounded by Franklin Ave, The Intercoastal Waterway, Florida Ave and Mississippi River
Original:
A boil water advisory was issued Saturday morning at 10:38 for the Lower Ninth Ward and some surrounding neighborhoods, including Holy Cross and Bywater after a water main break.
"Water pressures in this area fell below 20 pounds per square inch due to a water main break near Florida Boulevard," The Sewerage and Water Board said Saturday morning. "Residents in the affected areas are advised to use bottled or boiled tap water to drink, cook, clean food or brush teeth until further notice."
The area bounded by Franklin Avenue, The Intercoastal Waterway, Florida Avenue and The Mississippi River has also been put under the advisory.
What to do during a boil water advisory
Advisories don’t necessarily mean that the water is contaminated but that viruses or bacteria could have gotten into the system, and the current water quality is unknown.
During a boil advisory, you should use bottled water or water you’ve boiled for one minute on the stove.
This goes for washing dishes, cooking, drinking, brushing your teeth, mixing baby formula, or filling your pet’s water bowl.
The CDC says you should boil your tap water even if you have a water filter because most kitchen filters don’t kill bacteria or viruses. Only a UV water disinfection system can kill them.
Don’t use any ice made with tap water during the boil advisory, and be sure to empty your ice maker after the order is lifted.
Baths and showers are okay, just try not to get water in your mouth. You should sponge-bathe babies and small kids to keep them from swallowing water. Laundry and using the dishwasher is okay, too, as long as you have good enough water pressure and the parish isn’t specifically requesting residents to conserve water.
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