NEW ORLEANS — It’s not a done deal, but the New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board is working on an ambitious plan to ensure a steady flow of fresh water to city residents.
A wedge of saltwater is making its way up the Mississippi River from the gulf.
The leading edge of the salt is currently near Jesuit Bend about 20 miles south of the city.
“Right now, the Mississippi River is flowing at 150 thousand cubic feet per second,” Army Corps of Engineers commander Col. Cullen Jones said. “So, half of what we need to keep the saltwater from intruding.”
Wednesday, water board officials told city council members that engineers are already designing a 10-12-mile-long pipeline.
It would allow the east bank of Orleans and Jefferson Parishes to draw water from a location north of Kenner, above the saltwater wedge.
“To be able to end up with an intake at that location and pump and pipe that downstream into our intakes and as well as Jefferson Parish’s does remain our most viable option,” SWBNO Deputy Superintendent Steve Nelson said.
The estimated price tag is 120 million to 200 million dollars.
“This is an opportunity actually to correct this situation before it impacts the larger water districts in the region and it’s a potential permanent solution as far as being able to utilize this in future years should this happen again,” New Orleans Director of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness Colin Arnold said.
President Biden has now signed off on an emergency declaration in Jefferson – Orleans, Plaquemines and St. Bernard Parishes.
That unlocks potential federal funding to help keep fresh water in people’s faucets.
“The federal declaration is crucial for us,” Nelson said. “It opens the door for any number of solutions that we’re talking about.”
City leaders told WWL-TV; they have 5 manufacturers lined up to supply pipe for the 10–12-mile water pipeline. They have also identified the contractors needed to build it.
The city is now working with the state to help cover the cost of the project which will be built in stages.
“Having the ability to start the pipe at Carrollton and pause at the east bank Jefferson Parish and loop them into it and then continue further upriver, we can kind of do for lack of a better term offramps all the way up to start drawing water into this immediately,” Arnold said.
Arnold is hoping to have something in place by the end of the month.
There is also help on the way for the city’s smaller west bank water plant in Algiers.
That facility is expected to receive barge loads of water from the Army Corps of Engineers and special filters capable of taking salt out of salt water.
The Army Corps is now expecting saltwater impacts at the Algiers plant on October 22, then reach the Carrollton plant a week later.
Based on the latest projections, the saltwater could stick around through at least January.
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