{"id":2042945,"date":"2023-09-24T05:03:02","date_gmt":"2023-09-24T09:03:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/mississippi-river-saltwater-intrusion-threatens-drinking-water-new-orleans-declares-emergency\/"},"modified":"2023-09-24T05:09:41","modified_gmt":"2023-09-24T09:09:41","slug":"mississippi-river-saltwater-intrusion-threatens-drinking-water-new-orleans-declares-emergency","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/mississippi-river-saltwater-intrusion-threatens-drinking-water-new-orleans-declares-emergency\/","title":{"rendered":"New Orleans declares emergency due to Mississippi River saltwater intrusion threatening drinking water."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fmississippi-river-saltwater-intrusion-threatens-drinking-water-new-orleans-declares-emergency%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2042945&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><blockquote>\n<div data-post-content=\"true\" class=\"post_content\" id=\"post_content\">\n<p>A\u200d massive \u200cinflux of saltwater from the Gulf\u2062 of Mexico is\u2062 surging up the drought-stricken Mississippi River, \u2064posing a threat\u200c to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/explainer-peace-talks-on-ukraine-russias-red-lines-unchanged\/\" title=\"Explainer-Peace talks on Ukraine: Russia\u2019s red lines unchanged\">drinking water supplies<\/a> of \u2064around 900,000 Louisiana \u200cresidents. This alarming situation has officials\u2064 scrambling to\u2064 find solutions and minimize the \u2063impact of this \u2063intrusion.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We are facing a very challenging \u2063situation where saltwater \u200dis pushing its way upstream,&#8221; stated Louisiana Governor John \u2062Bel Edwards during a press conference. He was joined by state and local leaders, emergency \u200cofficials, and representatives\u200b from the U.S. Army\u200b Corps of Engineers.<\/p>\n<p>Governor Edwards, a Democrat, acknowledged the efforts \u2062of\u200b the\u200d Army Corps of Engineers \u200cin addressing the issue. However, he emphasized that the dry conditions in the \u200dregion have not provided enough relief, resulting in the worsening of the saltwater intrusion.<\/p>\n<div class=\"shortcode\">\n<div class=\"border-comp-divider mb-4 mr-4 w-full max-w-[500px] border px-5 py-4 text-[16px] leading-[20px] text-[#262626] md:float-left\" id=\"in_article_related_stories\">\n<h2 class=\"mb-3 font-sans text-[16px] font-semibold uppercase leading-[19px] text-[#2F2F2F]\">Related Stories<\/h2>\n<div class=\"mb-4 flex gap-2\">\n<div class=\"grow\">\n<div class=\"mb-1 line-clamp-2\">\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/electric-vehicles-exposed-to-saltwater-can-burst-into-flames-authorities-warn-5485474?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><\/p>\n<h3>Electric Vehicles Exposed to Saltwater Can Burst\u2062 Into \u200bFlames, Authorities Warn<\/h3>\n<p><\/a>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"text-comp-caption text-[14px] leading-[18px]\">9\/2\/2023<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"shrink-0 basis-[120px]\">\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/electric-vehicles-exposed-to-saltwater-can-burst-into-flames-authorities-warn-5485474?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"mb-4 flex gap-2\">\n<div class=\"grow\">\n<div class=\"mb-1 line-clamp-2\">\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/world\/massive-saltwater-crocodile-caught-8km-from-darwin-cbd-4202819?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><\/p>\n<h3>Massive \u200dSaltwater Crocodile Caught 8km From Darwin CBD<\/h3>\n<p><\/a>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"text-comp-caption text-[14px] leading-[18px]\">1\/10\/2022<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"shrink-0 basis-[120px]\">\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/world\/massive-saltwater-crocodile-caught-8km-from-darwin-cbd-4202819?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell declared\u2064 a state of emergency for the city, while \u200dGovernor \u200bEdwards announced plans\u200c to request a\u200d federal emergency declaration from Washington to secure additional aid for Louisiana.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;In the next few days, we will be seeking an emergency declaration from the federal government to involve more federal agencies that can provide assistance,&#8221; he stated.<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-figure\" style=\"margin-left:0;margin-right:0;max-width:1200px\">\n<figure style=\"width:640px;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto\" class=\"alignnone\"><figcaption>With A view of the Mississippi River to the left and the \u200cGulf of Mexico to the right, \u00a0in Buras, \u200cLa., on Aug. 22, 2019. (Drew \u200dAngerer\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<h2>Drinking \u200cWater in Focus<\/h2>\n<p>Under normal circumstances, freshwater\u2063 flows downstream along the Mississippi\u200d River, pushing against the salty water \u200cfrom the Gulf of\u200c Mexico and \u200cpreventing its intrusion.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"shortcode post-related-videos\">\n<div class=\"lazyload-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"lazyload-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>However, due to historically low rainfall \u200bin the Mississippi River basin,\u200c a drought has weakened the\u200b river&#8217;s ability \u200bto keep the saltwater\u200c at bay,\u2064 putting\u200d the region&#8217;s drinking \u2062water supplies at risk.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;There \u200cis no need to panic,&#8221; reassured Governor Edwards, emphasizing that efforts are underway to mitigate the impacts of \u2063the saltwater intrusion.\u2064 Ensuring\u2063 the availability of safe drinking water\u2063 remains the \u200btop priority at \u200dthis stage.<\/p>\n<p>Municipalities in southeast Louisiana, including \u200bNew Orleans, rely \u200con the\u2063 Mississippi River as their source \u2062of drinking water. The encroaching saltwater wedge poses a contamination threat \u2063to the freshwater intake.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Our primary focus is to ensure that \u2064we have an\u2063 ample\u2062 supply of safe \u2062drinking\u2064 water for the affected population,&#8221; Governor Edwards\u2064 affirmed.<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-figure\" style=\"margin-left:0;margin-right:0;max-width:1200px\">\n<figure style=\"width:640px;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto\" class=\"alignnone\"><figcaption>A road dead ends near the bank of the \u200bMississippi River Gulf Outlet, which is \u200dnow closed to maritime \u200cshipping due to \u2064extensive saltwater intrusion, erosion, and degradation of the surrounding wetlands, in Shell Beach, La., on Aug. 22, 2019. \u00a0(Drew Angerer\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>The \u200csaltwater wedge has\u2063 already traveled approximately 15 miles\u200d upstream \u2063in just seven days, according to Colonel Cullen Jones, Commander and District \u200dEngineer of the New Orleans District, Army Corps of\u2062 Engineers.<\/p>\n<p>Colonel Jones explained that saltwater \u200bintrusion becomes \u2063a\u2063 concern when the flow of\u2064 the Mississippi River \u2062drops to around 300,000 cubic feet per second. Currently, the flow \u2064is much\u200c lower, at \u2064approximately 148,000 cubic feet per second.<\/p>\n<p>To restore the flow above 300,000 cubic feet per second, the entire Mississippi \u200cValley would require around 10 inches\u200d of rainfall.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<span class=\"css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0\">However, such rainfall is unlikely, which \u200cmeans the saltwater wedge could \u2062impact local \u200dwater systems\u2064 for a\u2064 period ranging from \u2062a \u2064few\u2063 weeks to a couple of\u200d months.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Mitigation Efforts<\/h2>\n<p>Colonel Jones revealed that the state and\u200d the Army Corps of Engineers are working on raising the height \u2062of a 1,500-foot-wide underwater \u200blevee in the Mississippi River by 25 feet. This levee,\u2064 constructed in July, aims to slow down the intrusion of saltwater.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Colonel\u2064 Jones estimated that the construction process would \u2063take approximately 24 days and delay the progression of the saltwater wedge by 10 to 15 days.<\/p>\n<p>However, \u2062he cautioned that\u2064 without substantial rainfall, the underwater levee would be overtopped. \u200bIn such a scenario, there is a contingency plan to transport freshwater by barge to \u200clocal water treatment plants.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Simultaneously, we\u200b are establishing the capability to transport freshwater via barges to municipal water treatment facilities, ensuring the production of safe \u2062drinking \u2063water at the local level,&#8221;\u200b explained Colonel\u200b Jones.<\/p>\n<p>Initially, 15 million gallons of freshwater are expected to be transported by barge next\u200b week, with plans to increase this amount to as much as 36 million gallons per day, as needed.<\/p>\n<p>Governor Edwards mentioned that, in addition to water transportation,\u2062 efforts\u2062 are underway to \u200cdeliver bulk bottled water and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/mississippi-river-saltwater-intrusion-threatens-drinking-water-new-orleans-declares-emergency\/\" title=\"New Orleans declares emergency due to Mississippi River saltwater intrusion threatening drinking water.\">activate\u200c reverse osmosis water purification units<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>During the press\u2064 conference, a health\u200b official stated that when the salt concentration (sodium chloride) \u200dexceeds 250\u2064 parts per million, water systems issue\u200b a health advisory. However, he reassured the public that for\u2062 taste \u2063reasons,\u2063 most people would stop consuming the water\u200d well before it becomes\u2063 a health hazard.<\/p>\n<p>Reports have already emerged of people rushing to stock up on bottled water\u200c in \u2062certain parts of Louisiana. Governor Edwards urged residents not to panic-buy large quantities \u200cof bottled water,\u200d assuring them that there is no shortage in the state and \u200dbusinesses have been asked to increase their inventories.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p> Eks to several \u2064months, according to\u2064 experts.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>In \u2064response \u2064to the saltwater intrusion, the Louisiana Department of Health has implemented\u200b measures\u2064 to protect the\u2062 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/flint-councilman-threatens-crackhead-colleague-he-says-is-trying-to-control-100-million-in-coronavirus-funds\/\" title=\"Flint Councilman Threatens \u2018Crackhead\u2019 Colleague He Says Is Trying To \u2018Control\u2019 0 Million In Coronavirus Funds\">drinking water supply<\/a>.\u2064 These measures include extensive monitoring of the water quality, adjustment of treatment processes, and increased \u2064communication with water\u200d system operators.<\/p>\n<div class=\"shortcode\">\n<div class=\"border-comp-divider mb-4 mr-4 w-full max-w-[500px] border px-5 py-4 text-[16px] leading-[20px] text-[#262626] md:float-left\" id=\"in_article_related_stories\">\n<h2 class=\"mb-3 font-sans text-[16px] font-semibold uppercase leading-[19px] text-[#2F2F2F]\">Related Stories<\/h2>\n<div\u200d class=\"mb-4\n\n<h2> What \u200cspecific measures has the \u200cLouisiana Department\u2064 of Health\u200c implemented to\u2062 protect the drinking water supply?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) has \u200dimplemented several specific measures to protect the drinking water supply. Some of these measures include:<\/p>\n<p>1. Monitoring and Testing: The LDH regularly monitors and tests the quality of\u200d drinking water to \u200densure it meets the state and federal standards.\u200c This includes testing\u2062 for contaminants such as bacteria, chemicals, and heavy metals.<\/p>\n<p>2. Source Water Protection: The LDH works with water systems to\u200d identify and protect the sources of drinking water from potential contamination. This involves assessing and managing the risks to water sources, implementing best management practices, and establishing water \u200bprotection plans.<\/p>\n<p>3. Emergency Response: The LDH has established emergency response protocols and plans to address and mitigate any threats or incidents that may affect\u200b the safety of drinking \u2062water. These plans include procedures for contamination incidents,\u200b natural disasters, and other emergencies.<\/p>\n<p>4. Regulatory Compliance: The LDH enforces regulations and guidelines to ensure water systems comply\u200c with\u2064 the standards set \u2064for drinking water quality. This\u200b includes conducting\u2062 inspections, issuing permits, and providing technical assistance to water suppliers.<\/p>\n<p>5. Public Education and Outreach: The LDH conducts public education and outreach campaigns \u200bto raise awareness about the importance of safe\u200b drinking water \u2063and the steps individuals can take to \u2063protect their water \u2064supply. This includes \u2062providing information about\u2062 water quality, conservation, and \u200dproper disposal of hazardous substances.<\/p>\n<p>6. System Improvement: The LDH\u2064 works with water systems to identify and address \u2062infrastructure and operational deficiencies that\u2064 may impact\u2062 water\u2063 quality. This includes providing financial assistance, technical guidance, and training to improve system performance and maintain \u200dwater quality standards.<\/p>\n<p>Overall, the Louisiana Department of Health is committed to\u200c ensuring the safety\u200b and quality of the drinking water\u2063 supply through proactive monitoring, risk assessment, regulatory compliance, \u200bemergency response, \u2064and public education efforts.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>  How does saltwater intrusion impact the quality of drinking \u200cwater in Louisiana?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Saltwater intrusion occurs when \u200csaltwater from the ocean seeps into freshwater sources, such as underground aquifers. This intrusion \u2062can significantly\u2062 impact the quality of drinking water \u2064in\u2062 Louisiana in several ways.<\/p>\n<p>Firstly, the increased salinity levels make the\u2062 water brackish or salty, rendering it unsuitable for human consumption. High\u2062 levels\u2063 of salt can cause taste and odor issues, making the water unpalatable. Additionally, excessive salt can have a laxative effect and potentially lead\u2064 to dehydration if consumed \u2062in\u2063 large\u2064 quantities.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, saltwater intrusion contaminates the freshwater supply with various minerals and metals. \u2064This contamination \u2063can include harmful substances like arsenic,\u200b chloride, and sulfates, which may pose health risks when consumed in high concentrations. These\u2062 contaminants can have adverse effects on human health, including gastrointestinal issues and damage to internal organs.<\/p>\n<p>Moreover, saltwater intrusion can also lead to the deterioration of \u2064infrastructure, specifically water \u2062supply systems. The high salt content can corrode pipes and other infrastructure components, leading to leaks and\u2064 increased maintenance costs. This\u2063 can further impact \u2064the quality of drinking water by introducing additional contaminants into the supply.<\/p>\n<p>Overall, saltwater intrusion in Louisiana negatively affects the quality of drinking water by making \u2064it saline, introducing harmful minerals and metals, and compromising the \u2064water supply infrastructure. It requires careful management and mitigation strategies to ensure the availability of safe and drinkable water for the population.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>  How does increased communication with water system operators help \u200din addressing the issue of saltwater intrusion in Louisiana<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Increased communication with water system \u200boperators can help in addressing the issue of saltwater intrusion in Louisiana in several ways:<\/p>\n<p>1. Early detection: Water system operators are responsible for monitoring and testing the\u2064 quality of water sources. By increasing communication with them,\u200d potential saltwater\u200d intrusion issues can be detected early on. They can alert authorities and\u2062 take immediate action\u2063 to mitigate the\u200d impacts.<\/p>\n<p>2. Monitoring water levels: Increased communication allows water system operators \u200cto share \u2064real-time data on water levels in aquifers and wells. This helps in identifying any sudden changes in groundwater levels,\u2062 which may\u200d indicate saltwater intrusion. With timely information, preventive measures can be implemented before the situation worsens.<\/p>\n<p>3. Sharing\u2062 expertise and knowledge: Water \u2063system operators have valuable local knowledge and\u200c expertise about the water sources and hydrological systems in their \u2063area. Enhancing communication allows for\u200b the exchange of ideas, experiences, \u2064and best practices. This can improve the collective understanding\u200b of saltwater \u2062intrusion and the development of effective strategies to combat it.<\/p>\n<p>4. \u2063Collaborative efforts: When water system\u2062 operators have \u2062open\u200b lines of communication with relevant stakeholders, including government agencies, researchers, and communities, it facilitates collaborative efforts towards addressing saltwater intrusion. Joint initiatives can be established, such as \u2062implementing groundwater management plans, constructing freshwater diversion projects, or exploring alternative water source options.<\/p>\n<p>5. Timely response to emergencies: In situations where \u2063saltwater intrusion is an imminent \u2064threat, effective communication can ensure swift responses. Water system operators can coordinate with emergency response teams and implement contingency plans to \u200dminimize the impacts on water supply and public health.<\/p>\n<p>Overall, increased communication with water system operators plays a crucial role in\u2062 addressing saltwater\u2063 intrusion by enhancing early detection, improving monitoring capabilities, sharing valuable knowledge,\u2062 fostering collaboration, \u2062and enabling timely responses to emergencies.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Saltwater intrusion from the Gulf of Mexico is surging into the drought-hit Mississippi River, endangering water supplies for 900,000 Louisiana residents. Officials are urgently working to minimize the consequences of this difficult situation, as Governor John Bel Edwards expressed concern over the upstream intrusion of saltwater.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":118,"featured_media":2042946,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[543],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2042945","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-epoch-times"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2042945","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/118"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2042945"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2042945\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2042946"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2042945"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2042945"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2042945"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}