For Immediate Release: Monday, February 15, 2021 1:36 PM
New Orleans – Today, the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans (SWBNO) provided an update on preparations for freezing temperatures and potential impacts.
What Residents Can Do During a Freeze
IMPORTANT NOTE: Residents, businesses and schools that have gone unoccupied during the pandemic should take these same precautions.
What Residents Can Expect During the Freeze
SWBNO needs power to operate pumps that bring drinking water to you from our Carrollton Water Plant. With two of our major turbines out of service for repairs, we do not have enough redundant or “extra” power to operate the system if a piece of equipment goes down. Thanks to our partners at the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) and the New Orleans Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (NOHSEP), we now have two additional generators that will give us an added 4 MW of power. While this adds some redundancy, it is still not enough to put us in a completely comfortable position regarding power.
During a hard freeze like the one we’re facing, our power system will be impacted in a couple of ways:
What residents can expect to experience:
What Residents Should Do After a Freeze
When to Call 52-WATER
Our Customer Service Call Center will be staffed throughout the winter weather event. We encourage residents to call 52-WATER to report water main breaks in the public right-of-way. For any water line breaks on private property, please call a licensed plumber.
Stay Updated
It will take a citywide effort to get through this freeze. We urge all residents to adhere to these guidelines. For more information on how to “Fight the Freeze” visit our website at swbno.org and follow us on social media at @SWBNewOrleans.