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Louisiana Facing Days With No Clean Water After Ida’s Rampage

Louisiana Facing Days With No Clean Water After Ida’s Rampage

Some Louisiana communities may be without clean water for days after Hurricane Ida trampled much of the state.

Crews are working to restore water pressure in Jefferson Parish near New Orleans and the estimated repair time is five days, Jefferson Parish Councilman Dominick Impastato said in a social-media post on Monday.

Residents who do have running water are advised to conserve supplies and avoid “non-essential activities like washing dishes and doing laundry,” according to a tweet from Jefferson Parish. “Widespread power outages at lift stations across the parish have increased the likelihood of sewerage backups.”

Hospitals have also been affected, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards said during a media briefing. 

“You can’t run chillers without water and you can’t do dialysis without water,” the governor said. 

Boil-water advisories have been sent out across the region due to a loss of pressure in the water system as a result of hurricane damage, which can allow contaminants to enter underground pipes. 

New Orleans isn’t under a boil order but the city’s water utility was “experiencing challenges with keeping up with demand” due to busted pipes, according to a tweet.

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