NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) -- New Orleans city council members questioned workers for the Sewerage and Water board as well as Entergy about last week's boil water advisory.
Tests showed that the water quality was never compromised. But council members wanted to know why it took hours to notify the public about the advisory.
S&WB executive director Cedric Grant told the council that it took time to assess the impact of the power outage that caused the drop in water pressure and subsequent boil water advisory.
Grant says the S&WB will work to improve communications in the future. He also says it is working on a new plan to notify businesses of similar issues. Both Grant and council president Jason Williams, who called Thursday's special meeting, are urging people in New Orleans to sign up for notifications through the city's 311 system.
Missing Attachment Missing Attachment Missing Attachment Missing AttachmentGrant says a power surge shutdown electricity at the water plant on Claiborne Avenue. He says the water board is in the process of making $150 million in improvements to its infrastructure and equipment. One of those improvements is the construction of water towers at the Claiborne plant that can provide immediate pressure to the water system in the event of a future power outage.
"You just drop that water out of the sky tower, and then that holds the for at least 45 minutes," Jason Williams told WGNO News following the meeting.
The S&WB also talked about the causes of previous boil water advisories. They include balloons and a squirrel. For more on that, click on the video button above.
