Press Releases

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 most residents and businesses in the Uptown area after bacteriological tests confirmed that water in the area was safe to drink and could be used for personal needs.

Twenty-four properties will remain under the advisory. These properties lost water service entirely because their water lines are directly tied into the section of the 30-inch water main that had to be repaired. Door hangers have been hand-delivered by staff to each impacted property where the advisory remains in effect, and SWBNO technicians have been dispatched to conduct further water quality tests on those blocks.

Customers who have not used their water supply during this precautionary boil water advisory are advised to flush their internal and external plumbing by running water through their system for several minutes.

Water samples from across the broader impacted Uptown area 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 from several departments and the excellent cooperation of LDH officials during this event.

Boil water advisories are issued out of an abundance whenever the 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 Friday, May 3, when water pressure levels dropped below 20 psi due to a water main break.