No Quick Fixes for Utilities In Mississippi and Louisiana
Officials with the Sewerage & Water Board say West Bank water and wastewater treatment plants in the Algiers section are operable, but leaky pipes limit areas of service. On the East Bank in Orleans Parish, the citys largest wastewater treatment plant is under 6 ft of water. "We expect to have the water drawn down by the end of the week, and then we can start to dry out our motors and prepare to come back on line," says Gordon Austin, a S&WB manager.
Houston-based Veolia N.A., operates the plant, which is designed to treat 122 million gallons per day of wastewater in dry weather. "We dont know how long it will take to bring the plant back up once it is dried out," says Christie Kaluza, Veolia spokeswoman. "First we need a full assessment of the distribution system."