New Orleans' Newest Problem: Water

Beneath Devastated City, 3,200-Mile System Of Water And Sewer Lines Is Crumbling

(AP)  Deep underground, an unseen crisis is threatening New Orleans' already troubled recovery.

The city's 3,200-mile system of water and sewer lines — old, leaky and in need of improvements long before Hurricane Katrina — was damaged by the torrent of pipe-corroding salt water.

The city Sewerage & Water Board says at least 50 million gallons of water a day are now being lost to leaks, or 2½ times pre-Katrina levels. S&WB officials also believe raw sewage is leaking out in places, though the extent of the problem is unclear.

The larger fear is that if some water pumps fail — whether because of a power outage, some other kind of mechanical trouble, or another Katrina-like storm — a drastic drop in pressure could allow raw sewage or other pollutants to back up into the water system through the leaks. That could contaminate the drinking water in some neighborhoods for days or even weeks.

"We don't have the confidence now to say the system won't fail," S&WB spokesman Robert Jackson said. "We're basically holding it together by tap, by glue, by spit, whatever we can get a hold of."

Two years after Katrina, major breaks are being repaired. But the water system continues to leak, and sewer lines in some areas are dripping, too.

As the city's population continues to grow — it is estimated at 262,000, well below the 455,000 before Katrina — the stress on the system is expected to increase.

The city says the tap water is safe to drink, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says New Orleans' drinking supply meets federal standards.

But environmentalists are suing the federal government to obtain monitoring data and are calling for an independent study. Some skeptical residents are drinking bottled water.

Patricia Jones, a mother of two who is rebuilding her home in the hard-hit Lower Ninth Ward, said she is spending $80 a month on bottled water because she doesn't trust the city's assurances.

"It's not something I personally prefer to take a risk on," she said.

S&WB estimates that rebuilding and improving the water, sewer and drainage systems will cost $5.7 billion over 25 years, money the agency doesn't have.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has set aside about $150 million so far and expects to commit tens of millions of dollars more. But the agency won't cover the entire cost; FEMA says that under federal law, it only has to pay to bring the system back up to its pre-Katrina level.

[infidel_us]

Now, it will truly be come the "Chocolate City" that Nagin envisioned.
LOL...................
Posted by WheelsUp1 at 11:10 AM : Aug 07, 2007

ROFL!!!! Baby Ruth bars floating past City Hall....

Guess Nagin's attempt to secure foreign aid fell thru. Since Paris is it's sister city, perhaps the French could come over and show them how to fix the problem.

[arealtexan]

Since the city is below sea level and the level of Lake Ponchatrain, perhaps they could drain the lake into the city of New Orleans, then build the city where the lake used to be. Problem solved!!
Posted by Dublecros at 11:51 AM : Aug 07, 2007

Best idea I've heard in awhile.

[Dublecros]

Since the city is below sea level and the level of Lake Ponchatrain, perhaps they could drain the lake into the city of New Orleans, then build the city where the lake used to be. Problem solved!!

[arealtexan]

New Orleans has always been a disaster waiting to happen. The city should be closed off and turned into a national park and the people relocated to the other side of the Ponchatrain.

[wheelsup1]

Now, it will truly be come the "Chocolate City" that Nagin envisioned.
LOL...................

[bthrasher102]

The federal government should never be responsible for keeping up a city's infrastructure. If the city is that negligent it needs new leadership. What's the city been doing with its property tax revenue for the last 50 years?

[bombadil4]

Blame can no doubt be spread far and wide but the bottom line is this: Earlier generations had the vision and the determination to build a wonderful infrastructure for this country. No doubt they assumed we would have the common sense to preserve and upgrade it for the coming generations.. Whether it's New Orleans, the crippled airline and railroad industries, bridge collapses,neglected parks and museums, highway gridlock, etc. it's obvious we have failed miserably in that trust. And of course the billions of dollars that would be neccesary for this work have floated away into a tragic moronic war and into the hands of giant corporations and their lackey politicians. Our moment may have passed.

[rushlimpdrug]

So how do you explain anything that happend prior to that date?
Oh yea, the lib way, ignore it until a Republican takes office.
Posted by janem4

Waaa! Waaa! Waaa! Waaa! Waaa! Stop making fun of bush.
janem4 -what a cry baby you are.
On the bush watch:
1. Terrorists strike NY;
2. N.O. isn't near being fixed in 2 yrs;
3. Bridges collapse;
4. Superman can't be found;
5. janem4 won't let bush grow up

[bkylws]

Sounds to me like Mother Nature is trying to tell us something here. Raw sewage? GROSS! I say use the money to help relocate the people still living there and just make what's left a shipyard. It may be cheaper that way.

[drinuk]

They will leave it a couple more years, keep releasing and dripping bad news like this, then finally bulldoze it, leaving the old town only as a tourist attraction. The rest of it is history.

Maybe they should just all leave New Orleans, move to higher ground, much cheaper.

[me4prezz]

Sheesh. They forgot to mention that Bush will get around to fixing America's, specifically New Orleans, water problems after we finish setting up clean and pure drinking water for Iraq. Goodness people!! Get it straight!!!

Why should we matter more than Iraq? Goodness...

(Please read this with pure sarcasm...)

[micma-2009]

The truth is, our infrastructure is failing across the country. Meanwhile we're spending a trillion dollars to rebuild Iraq.

[ioweign]

New Orleans is not the only place with that problem!

[lewiston14]

No matter how big it was. No matter how great it once was. No matter how much history it had or has. It's not a good idea to live under sea level. I have a feeling thats why nobody is in any hurry to rebuild it. That coupled with the people that ONCE lived there who did not come back. Tells you alot about the general feelings of how it once was and how people want it to be now. It got out of control as so many other cities are getting out of control. Sorry nicest way I could write it. Their gone and nobody wants them back.

[vancouverboo]

If you're still in that city, get out now before it's too, too late.

[micma-2009]

Why are we spending a trillion dollars trying to rebuild a country that doesn't want us there when we still havn't seen Bush follow through on his promise to rebuild this great American city.