Precautionary Boil Water Advisory Canceled for Lower 9th Ward Area, portions of Upper 9th Ward of New Orleans
For Immediate Release: Tuesday, February 5, 2019 1:08 PM
New Orleans – The Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans (SWBNO), in consultation with the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH), has canceled the precautionary boil water advisory for residents and business in the Lower 9th Ward area and portions of the Upper 9th Ward of New Orleans after bacteriological tests confirmed that water in the area was safe to drink and use.
Affected customers who have not used their tap water during this precautionary boil water advisory are advised to flush their plumbing by running their faucets for several minutes.
Water samples from across the Lower 9th Ward area and portions of the Upper 9th Ward of New Orleans have tested negative for contamination. SWBNO is committed to providing safe drinking water, and this precautionary boil water advisory was issued out of an abundance of caution to ensure the public’s safety. We thank the impacted residents and businesses for their patience and apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. We also commend the fast and professional work of SWBNO employees in addressing this situation and the excellent cooperation of LDH officials during this event.
Boil water advisories are issued out of an abundance of caution whenever water pressure drops below 20 psi. We agree with the recommendations of our regulatory partner, LDH, that it is prudent to issue these advisories. This precautionary boil water advisory was issued on Monday, February 4, 2019 when water pressure levels dropped below 20 psi due to SWBNO crews testing valves in connection to work on the federal Southeast Louisiana Urban Flood Control Program (SELA) project on Florida Avenue.
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