Press Releases

NEW ORLEANS - The Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans (SWBNO) has issued a precautionary boil water advisory for portions of New Orleans.

• Area 1 – Wright Rd, Lake Pontchartrain, Paris Ave, and I-10 in addition to the Oak Island Subdivision
• Area 2 – Industrial Canal, I-10, St. Bernard Ave and Lake Pontchartrain

Water pressures in this area fell below 20 pounds per square inch (psi) as crews were making repairs to a 50” water main on General Ogden and Nelson Streets.

A map of the affected area can be found here: https://swbno.org/News/BoilWater

Residents in the affected area are advised to use bottled or boiled tap water to drink, cook, clean food or brush teeth until further notice. Residents with compromised immune systems should also use safe water to wash hands, shower or bathe. 

SWBNO, in partnership with the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH), issues boil water advisories out of an abundance of caution for areas where water pressure drops below 20 psi.

Customers in other areas of the city are not affected and do not need to boil their water.

Please note, the repair is still ongoing. Crews have been monitoring water pressure throughout the repair, and while some areas are experiencing lower-than-normal pressure, the areas outside the precautionary advisory have remained above 20 psi. 

We agree with the recommendations of LDH that it is prudent to issue these advisories out of an abundance of caution. The concern is that a pressure drop inside a water pipe could allow bacteriological contaminants to enter.

Continue to prevent the spread of COVID-19 during a boil water advisory by washing your hands often with boiled or bottled water.

Healthy adults should take the following precautions:

• Washing hands: Use soap and tap water, dry hands, then apply hand sanitizer; the safest option is to wash with bottled or boiled water.
• Showering or bathing: Be careful not to swallow any water. Infants, young children and disabled persons should be supervised to ensure water is not ingested. Residents with open wounds, chronic illness or weakened immune systems should use boiled or bottled water to bathe until the advisory is lifted.

SWBNO will notify residents when the boil water advisory is canceled. If you have any questions, please call 52-WATER (504-529-2837).

INSTRUCTIONS FOR BOILING WATER

Bring water to a rolling boil in a clean container for a full minute. If the water has a flat taste afterward, shake it in a bottle or pour it from one container to another.

Please review general and LDH recommendations for managing a boil water advisory at http://ready.nola.gov/plan/boil-water/

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