Drinking water advisories lifted in Plaquemines Parish amid saltwater mitigation efforts

PLAQUEMINES PARISH, La. (WVUE) - After months of battling the intrusion of saltwater, drinking water advisories in the hardest hit areas of Plaquemines Parish were lifted on Wed., Oct. 18.

Chloride levels are now testing below 250 ppm consistently from Empire Bridge to Venice on the west bank and from Phoenix to Bohemia on the east bank.

Residents in Plaquemines Parish can now resume using tap water for drinking, cooking, and bathing.

“This is a testament to the concerted efforts made to ensure the safety and well-being of the community,” officials said in a press release. “It is indeed a moment of relief.”

Salt water has been impacting drinking water supplies in Plaquemines Parish since June. Reverse osmosis machines and barges of millions of gallons of fresh water were brought in to dilute the levels of salt in the water.

The first of three machines designed to extract salt from drinking water arrived in... — The first of three machines designed to extract salt from drinking water arrived in Plaquemines Parish on Sept. 28.(WVUE)

SALTWATER INTRUSION

Completion of saltwater sill work extends relief for Belle Chasse, St. Bernard

Saltwater wedge retreats slightly, Orleans leaders still preparing for impacts

Work on an underwater sill in Alliance was completed last week, delaying the impacts upriver significantly.

USACE New Orleans District delivered 500,000 gallons of water to the Plaquemines Parish Port... — USACE New Orleans District delivered 500,000 gallons of water to the Plaquemines Parish Port Sulphur Water Treatment Facility.(USACE)

In this aerial photo, dredging operations to build an underwater sill are seen in Plaquemines... — In this aerial photo, dredging operations to build an underwater sill are seen in Plaquemines Parish, La., Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023. A salt water wedge slowly moving upriver from the Gulf of Mexico, due to the unusually low water level in the river, may threaten municipal water supplies, potentially even New Orleans. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)(Gerald Herbert | AP)

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