Test Water Closure on 30 inch Transmission Main On S. Claiborne Ave and Upperline St; Slightly Lower-than- Normal Pressure Possible
For Immediate Release: Wednesday, January 10, 2024 10:45 AM
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans (SWBNO) construction contractor, BLD Services, LLC, will perform a test water valve closure on a 30” transmission main on S Claiborne Avenue and Upperline Street as a part of the South Claiborne Transmission Main project. Weather permitting, SWBNO crews will begin closing the valve on Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024, beginning at 8 a.m. This test water closure is expected to last for approximately 4 hours. This test closure is in preparation for the full closure which will be scheduled for a later date.
This 30” water main supplements much of the water supply to the Black Pearl, Uptown/Carrollton, Audubon, Freret and Touro neighborhoods, therefore resulting in potential lower-than-normal water pressure in these locations. Customers will observe similar pressures from a previous closure.
The 30" water main is one of six large transmission mains that provides water to the East Bank, which means there are redundancies in the water distribution system.
While a significant pressure drop is not anticipated, some customers may experience slightly lower than normal pressure, especially upper floors of multi-story buildings.
While the test closure and work are underway, crews will monitor water pressure throughout the city. If pressures dip below 20 psi, we will notify the public of the need for a precautionary boil water advisory.
Customers who are experiencing very low or no water pressure are directed to call our Emergency Call Center at 504-52-WATER; SWBNO is open every day, 24 hours a day to serve you.
We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your patience as we work to maintain and improve your water system.
Transmission Main Projects
The replacement of the water main on S. Claiborne Ave. is a large Transmission Main (project name TM003) that SWBNO has replaced since 2018. There are five future transmission main projects scheduled. These projects are needed to proactively replace water lines as part of SWBNO’s commitment to infrastructure resiliency and reliability, as outlined in our five-year strategic plan.
Questions about this project or any SWBNO issues should be directed to (504) 52-WATER (504-529-2837) or outreach@swbno.org.
Our newest Transmission Main project is TM011- S Claiborne at 3rd which is impacting traffic on S. Claiborne Ave. from Louisiana Ave to Third St for the next 6-8 months. See full advisory here.