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UM, THANK Y'ALL FOR COMING OUT, AND I APPRECIATE THE FOLKS FROM THE PRESS FOR COMING TO COVER THIS EVENT.
UH, WE JUST CONCLUDED A MODIFIED, NON-MODIFIED, UH, UNIFIED, I SHOULD SAY, COMMAND GROUP MEETING.
UM, AND AS I MENTIONED IN THERE, WHEN WE DO A MODIFIED U C G, IT TYPICALLY MEANS WE HAVE A VERY SMALL MEETING.
AND, AND THIS WAS NOT THAT, UH, IT WAS, IT WAS, UH, A LARGE NUMBER OF FOLKS THERE, UH, FROM OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS ACROSS THE STATE AGENCIES, UH, AND THEN, UH, OUR PARISH AND, AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTAL, UH, ENTITIES TOO, ACROSS THE FOUR PARISHES THAT ARE AFFECTED BY THIS LOW WATER EVENT.
AND I DO WANNA THANK ALL OF THEM FOR, FOR COMING.
BUT, UH, IN PARTICULAR, UM, THE ASSISTANCE THAT WE ARE BEING PROVIDED AND HAVE BEEN PROVIDED FOR A GOOD WHILE NOW BY THE US ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS.
UM, OBVIOUSLY WE ARE HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE SALT WATER INTRUSION IN THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI RIVER, UH, AND WHAT THAT HAS ALREADY MEANT FOR, UH, OUR STATE AND WHAT IT'S, UH, PROJECTED TO DO OVER THE COMING, UH, WEEKS AND POTENTIALLY MONTHS.
UH, AS YOU KNOW, UH, MOST OF THE STATE, UH, HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROLONGED DROUGHT CONDITIONS ABOVE AVERAGE HEAT, UM, AND HAS CONTRIBUTED TO A NUMBER OF CHALLENGES, INCLUDING WILDFIRES, UH, THE DROUGHT, HEAT RELATED DEATHS AND INJURIES AND SO FORTH.
UH, AND NOW SALT WATER INTRUSION.
UH, ADDITIONALLY, THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER IS FORECASTED TO REACH HISTORIC LOWS OVER THE NEXT, UH, SEVERAL WEEKS.
NOW, I FOUND OUT TODAY THE FORECAST IS FOR AN ABOVE AVERAGE AMOUNT OF PRECIPITATION IN THE WINTER, BUT THAT'S STILL SEVERAL MONTHS AWAY.
AND WHAT WE NEED MOST, UH, IN LOUISIANA RIGHT NOW IS MORE WATER IN THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.
THAT MEANS WE NEED RAIN FURTHER UP NORTH IN THE OHIO VALLEY.
UM, AND, AND SO THAT'S WHAT MAKES THIS PARTICULAR CHALLENGE, UM, I THINK, UM, THIS ISSUE, I SHOULD SAY, UH, SO CHALLENGING, UH, BECAUSE WE DON'T BELIEVE THAT THERE'S SUFFICIENT PRECIPITATION IN THE NEAR TERM, UH, ANYWHERE, UH, ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER TO, TO, UH, MATERIALLY CHANGE THE, THE CONDITIONS FOR THE BETTER.
UH, AND SO WE ARE MAKING PLANS FOR A DURATION OF EVENT AND A SEVERITY OF, OF, OF THIS EVENT, UH, TO EXCEED THAT, WHICH WE HAVE MOST RECENTLY EXPERIENCED.
AND WE DON'T EXPERIENCE THIS ALL THAT OFTEN, AT LEAST NOT UP THIS FAR, UH, UP THE RIVER.
UH, SO THIS IS A, UH, A VERY CHALLENGING SITUATION, UH, WHERE SALT WATER'S INTRUDING UPSTREAM.
UH, AS YOU ALL PROBABLY KNOW, PLAQUEMINES PARISH, AT LEAST THE LOWER PART OF THE PARISH, HAS BEEN DEALING WITH THIS ISSUE SINCE EARLY SUMMER.
UH, AND OF COURSE, THE STATE HAS BEEN PARTNERING WITH THEM TO PROVIDE, UH, RESOURCES AND SO FORTH.
AND, AND SINCE THEN, THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS HAS BEEN WORKING TO MITIGATE THE PROBLEM.
UH, UNFORTUNATELY, WE JUST HAVEN'T HAD THE, THE RELIEF, UH, FROM THE DRY CONDITIONS THAT WE NEED.
UH, SO THAT INTRUSION IS WORSENING IN, IN THE SENSE THAT IT'S MOVING FURTHER UP THE RIVER.
UM, OUR TEAM AT THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY PROTECTION IS WORKING ACTIVELY AND DAILY WITH ALL OF OUR LOCAL, UH, STATE AND FEDERAL PARTNERS TO DETERMINE WHAT ADDITIONAL SUPPORT'S GONNA BE NEEDED.
UH, WHAT STEPS CAN BE TAKEN TO PROTECT WATER SYSTEMS, WATER INTAKE POINTS, LOOKING AT CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, ANY PARTICULAR NEEDS THAT, THAT MAY BE NEEDED THERE.
UM, YOU, YOU ALL PROBABLY ARE AWARE THAT I ISSUED A STATE EMERGENCY DECLARATION BACK ON SEPTEMBER THE FIFTH.
I CAN TELL YOU IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS, WE WILL BE REQUESTING AN EMERGENCY DECLARATION FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, UH, AS WELL, UH, FOR THE PURPOSE OF, UH, GETTING MORE FEDERAL AGENCIES, UH, INVOLVED TO THE EXTENT THAT THEY CAN BE HELPFUL, BUT ALSO ALSO AUTHORIZING US TO UNDERTAKE EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE MEASURES, UH, AND, AND WITH, WITH SOME LEVEL OF REIMBURSEMENT, UH, AVAILABLE FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, SHOULD THAT FEDERAL EMERGENCY DECLARATION, UH, BE GRANTED.
BUT I DON'T WANT YOU TO THINK THAT WE HAVEN'T HAD, UH, ASSISTANCE FROM OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS, UH, UP TO NOW BECAUSE WE, WE ABSOLUTELY HAVE.
BUT WE CAN, WE CAN SEE THAT, THAT OUR REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE ARE LIKELY TO GROW AND, AND BE IN PLACE FOR SOME PERIOD OF TIME.
SO THE PRIMARY MESSAGE THAT I WANT TO SHARE TODAY IS THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS SITUATION.
UH, WE ARE COMMUNICATING, UH, WELL WITH ONE ANOTHER.
WE ARE, WE ARE LOOKING AT ALL THE OPTIONS AND BRINGING IN ASSISTANCE AND AND SO FORTH.
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ISSUES BEFORE.UH, MOST RECENTLY THERE WAS A FORECAST IN 1988, UM, FOR SIMILAR CONDITIONS.
UH, FORTUNATELY FOR THE STATE IN 1988, THEY ACTUALLY HAD A SIGNIFICANT, UH, WATER FLOW INCREASE SOONER THAN HAD BEEN FORECASTED.
UH, AND NOW, SO WHAT WE ARE LEAVING NOW, BASED ON THE CURRENT FORECAST, IS THAT THIS EVENT WILL BE, UH, MORE SEVERE AND OF LONGER DURATION, BUT THERE IS NO NEED, UH, FOR PANIC.
UH, WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE AWARE OF THE SITUATION, UH, THAT WE DON'T DO ANYTHING THAT WOULD EXACERBATE IT, AND THAT WE BRING TO BEAR, UH, ANYTHING THAT WE REASONABLY CAN AS SOON AS WE CAN, UH, TO HELP US, UH, GET THROUGH THIS, UH, PERIOD OF TIME.
UH, OBVIOUSLY THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO DO IS TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH SAFE DRINKING WATER, UH, FOR, UH, THE PEOPLE IN, IN THE, UH, AREA OF CONCERN.
UH, WE ARE MONITORING THE, THE SITUATION.
WE'RE APPLYING BEST PRACTICES AND LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE PAST, BUT WE'RE ALSO CASTING A WIDE NET, UH, LOOKING FOR PEOPLE WHO, WHO HAVE EXPERIENCE, UH, IN THESE SORTS OF EMERGENCIES.
UH, WE ARE ASKING THAT THE PUBLIC REMAIN INFORMED THROUGH CREDIBLE SOURCES, UM, AND AVOID SOME OF THE TYPES OF RUMORS AND MISINFORMATION THAT WE, WE'VE ALREADY BEEN HEARING.
UH, AND WE DO KNOW THAT THIS CAN BE A COMPLEX TOPIC, AND FOR THAT REASON, WE ARE DETERMINED TO BE AS TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE.
WE'RE GONNA COMMUNICATE, UH, TO THE PEOPLE WHAT THE SITUATION IS, UM, AND, AND, UM, SO FORTH.
AND THAT'S REALLY THE WAY THAT MY ADMINISTRATION, UH, HAS DEALT WITH THESE THINGS, UH, FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.
UM, THE, THAT'S WHY GO EP HAS ESTABLISHED THE WEBSITE, EMERGENCY.LA.GOV, UH, WHERE ACCURATE INFORMATION AND UPDATES ABOUT, UH, THIS PARTICULAR EVENT RELATED TO SALTWATER INTRUSION CAN BE FOUND.
NOW, I'M GONNA BE FOLLOWED BY COLONEL CULLEN JONES, UH, WHO IS THE COMMANDER OF THE NEW ORLEANS DISTRICT OF THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS.
HE'S GONNA SHARE SOME INFORMATION WITH YOU.
UH, AFTER THAT, UH, IT IS MY INTENTION THAT WE WILL TAKE SOME QUESTIONS, UM, SHOULD YOU HAVE ANY, AND I SUSPECT YOU WILL.
UH, AND, AND, UH, WE, WE WILL TAKE THOSE QUESTIONS AT THAT TIME.
UH, BUT COLONEL JONES, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, GOVERNOR.
FIRST OFF, GOVERNOR, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU OUR LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL TEAMMATES AS WE WORK TOGETHER IN RESPONSE TO THIS YEAR'S EXTREME MISSISSIPPI RIVER DROUGHT.
AS YOU ALL HAVE BEEN TRACKING, THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS HAS BEEN MONITORING THE SALT WATER SINCE EARLY SUMMER.
IN JULY, WE CONSTRUCTED THE UNDERWATER SILL AT RIVER MILE 63.8 TO DELAY UP RIVER PROGRESSION OF THE SALT WATER FROM THE GULF OF MEXICO.
AND AS SOON AS SUNDAY OF THIS WEEK, WE'LL BEGIN CONSTRUCTION AT THAT LOCATION TO AUGMENT THE SILL.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? THE RIVER LOCATION AT THE SILL IS APPROXIMATELY 2,800 FEET WIDE.
WE WILL ELEVATE APPROXIMATELY 2,200 FEET OF THE RIVER WIDTH TO A NEGATIVE ELEVATION AT 30 FEET.
ESSENTIALLY, WE'RE GONNA BE ADDING ANOTHER 25 FEET OF HEIGHT TO THE SILL, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE TO HAVE THE CONSIDERATION THAT THIS YEAR IS TRADITIONALLY THE HARVEST SEASON.
AND THE VESSELS THAT TRAVERSE SOUTH LOUISIANA HAVE A VITAL ROLE TO BOTH THE NATIONAL AND GLOBAL ECONOMY.
TO ENSURE CRITICAL NAVIGATION CONTINUES ALONG OUR NATION'S BUSIEST INLAND WATERWAY, WE'RE GONNA BE ESTABLISHING A NOTCH APPROXIMATELY 620 FEET WIDE, WITH A DEPTH AT NEGATIVE 55.
OUR INITIAL ESTIMATE THAT THIS CONSTRUCTION WILL TAKE APPROXIMATELY 24 DAYS, AND OUR EXPECTATION IS THAT THE PERFORMANCE OF THE AUGMENTED SILL WILL DELAY THE UPRIVER PROGRESSION OF SALTWATER BY 10 TO 15 DAYS AS THE RESULT OF CONTINUED FALLING CONDITIONS.
THIS EXISTING SILL THAT LOCATED AT RIVER MILE 63.8 WAS OVERTOPPED ON WEDNESDAY, AND WE SEE THE TOW AT RIVER MILE 66, AND WE'RE ALREADY PROJECTING TO SEE TRACE SALINITIES AT RIVER MILE 69.
SO, USING THE RIVER SURVEY DATA AND THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST, WE HAVE DEVELOPED AN ESTIMATED TIMELINE FOR THE PROGRESSION OF THE SALTWATER TOW UP RIVER.
THIS PROJECTED TIMELINE ALSO INCLUDES THE BENEFITS THAT ARE GONNA BE GAINED BY THE AUGMENTATION AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE SILL THAT'S STARTING ON SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY.
BASED OFF THE UPDATED PROJECTIONS AND USING THE CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE THAT THE SURFACE SALINITY LEVELS EXIST APPROXIMATELY 15 MILES DOWN RIVER FROM THE TOW, WE SEE THE POTENTIAL OF THE WATER WITH THE CHLORIDE LEVELS AT OR ABOVE 250 PARTS PER MILLION REACHING.
THE BELL CHASE FACILITY IS LOCATED AT A RIVER MILE, 75.5 ON OR ABOUT THE 13TH OF OCTOBER, THEN HEADING UP TO DELCO STATION AT RIVER MILE 80.9 ON
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OR ABOUT THE 15TH, THEN TO THE ST.BERNARD FACILITY AT RIVER MILE 88 ON OCTOBER 19TH, THEN TO THE NEW ORLEANS ALGIERS FACILITY AT RIVER MILE 95.7 ON THE 22ND OF OCTOBER, THEN TO THE GRETNA FACILITY AT RIVER MILE, 96.7 ON THE 24TH, THEN TO WEST JEFFERSON AT RIVER MILE 99.1 ON THE 25TH OF OCTOBER, NEW ORLEANS CARROLLTON FACILITY AT RIVER MILE 1 0 4 0.7 ON THE 28TH OF OCTOBER, THEN TO EAST JEFFERSON AT RIVER MILE 1 0 5 0.4 ON THE 29TH OF OCTOBER.
AND WE ARE CONTINUING TO DEVELOP OUR MODELS AND REFINE THEM TO SEE WHAT POTENTIALLY COULD HAPPEN UP RIVER FROM THAT LOCATION.
NOW, I NEED TO STRESS THAT THESE FOUR FORECASTED CONDITIONS CAN CHANGE.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR SALT WATER PROGRESSION, THE SILL CONSTRUCTION, AND THE RIVER FORECAST.
AS THE EXTREME RIVER CONDITIONS CONTINUE.
AS NEW INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE, WE WILL REEVALUATE OUR PROJECTED MOVEMENT OF THE SALT WATER AND SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH OUR PARTNERS AND THE PUBLIC FOR THEIR PREPAREDNESS, READINESS AND RESPONSE.
WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT RAIN IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE, THE AUGMENTED SALTWATER SILL WILL TOO BE OVERTOPPED WITH THIS UNDERSTANDING.
THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS IS UNDERWAY SECURING WATER BARGES UNDER PUBLIC LAW 84 99 FOR FLOOD CONTROL AND COASTAL EMERGENCY THAT WILL SUPPORT IMPACT AT WATER TREATMENT FACILITIES BY TRANSPORTING WATER COLLECTED FROM THE PORTION OF THE RIVER ABOVE THE SALT WATER TOW.
THAT WATER THEN CAN BE COMBINED WITH WATER AT THE TREATMENT FACILITIES TO CREATE A MIXTURE THAT IS SAFE FOR TREATMENT.
WE ARE LOOKING TO HAVE OUR INITIAL CAPACITY FOR TRANSPORTING APPROXIMATELY 15 MILLION GALLONS OF WATER NEXT WEEK, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD CAPACITY AS THE CONDITIONS CONTINUE.
LASTLY, I WANNA REITERATE THAT THE CORPS IS COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING THE LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL RESPONSE TO THE FULLEST EXTENT OF OUR AUTHORITIES AND CAPABILITIES.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO SHARE ANY INFORMATION WE COLLECT TO ASSIST OUR PARTNERS DURING THEIR EFFORTS, AND WE WILL KEEP THE PUBLIC APPRISED OF OUR WORK AND OUR INSIGHTS.
UH, WITH THAT, I BELIEVE WE'RE READY FOR SOME QUESTIONS.
THEY, THEY'RE BRINGING YOU A MICROPHONE.
UH, WHEN YOU ASK A QUESTION, JUST PLEASE LET US KNOW WHO YOU'RE DIRECTING THE QUESTION TO AS WELL.
UH, THIS IS FOR COLONEL JONES.
YOU MENTIONED, UH, 15 MILLION GALLONS COMING DOWN, FRESH WATER COMING DOWN RIVER.
IS THAT PER DAY OR IS THAT DURING WHAT PERIOD OF TIME IS THAT 15 MILLION GALLONS GOING TO COME? SO WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF ESTABLISHING DELIVERY SCHEDULES TO IMPACT AT WATER FACILITIES.
WHEN I TALK ABOUT THE 15 MILLION GALLONS, THAT IS OUR INITIAL CAPABILITY OF WATER BARGING THAT WE ARE BRINGING ON LOCATION.
ONCE WE HAVE IT ON SITE AND WATER TREATMENT FACILITIES ARE READY TO RECEIVE BASED OFF OF THEIR NEEDS, THEN WE'LL START OUR DELIVERY PROCESS.
IS THERE A KNOWLEDGE OF HOW MANY GALLONS WILL BE NEEDED OVER TIME? SO, CURRENTLY, RIGHT NOW, LOOKING AT ALL THE WAY UP TO THE GRETNA FACILITY, THE CURRENT DEMAND WOULD APPROXIMATELY BE 36 MILLION GALLONS PER DAY.
AND THE 15 MILLION IS NOT PER DAY.
THAT'S JUST THE INITIAL SHIPMENT.
SO THOSE ARE THE WATER BARGES THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO PULL WATER FROM THE RIVER, PUSH A DOWN RIVER FOR DELIVERY, AND THEN GO THROUGH IT AND REPEAT THE PROCESS.
SO IT'LL BE A CONTINUAL DELIVERY EFFORT.
AND THE 36 MILLION NEEDED, THAT'S FOR ALL OF THE AFFECTED PARISHES AND ALL THE AFFECTED AREAS.
THOSE ARE ALL FOR ALL THE CURRENT TREATMENT FACILITIES THAT COULD POTENTIALLY UTILIZE THE WATER BARGING, UH, OVER TIME.
SO WE ARE LOOKING TO INCREASE OUR CAPACITY TO SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, FROM PLAQUEMINES ALL THE WAY UP TO THE GRETNA FACILITY.
BUT I'M SAYING, DOES THE 36 MILLION, UM, FIGURE, DOES THAT COVER THE ENTIRE LENGTH ALL THE WAY UP TO EAST JEFFERSON? OR IS THERE, I MEAN, WHAT IS THE TOTAL FIGURE THAT'S NEEDED? THE ANSWER IS NOT.
IT ACTUALLY, THAT IS UP TO THE GRETNA FACILITY FROM BOOTHVILLE UP TO GRETNA.
MY QUESTIONS FOR THE GOVERNOR.
WITHOUT THAT FEDERAL ASSISTANCE, ABOUT HOW MANY DAYS UNDER THE CURRENT CONDITIONS PROJECTED DO WE HAVE THE RESOURCES TO COVER THE RESIDENTS IN, IN TERMS OF FRESHWATER? WELL, THE TIMELINE IS, AS THE COLONEL MENTIONED A WHILE AGO, UM, AND THE, THE FEDERAL ASSISTANCE THAT WE NEED THE MOST IS THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS THAT WE ALREADY HAVE NOW, WHEN WE ARE GONNA MAKE A REQUEST FOR A FEDERAL DECLARATION FOR SEVERAL REASONS, UH, ONE OF WHICH IT ALLOWS INITIALLY, AT LEAST, SHOULD IT BE GRANTED A REIMBURSEMENT OF 75% OF OUR ELIGIBLE COSTS RELATED TO EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE MEASURES.
UH, AND THAT CAN INCLUDE ALL OF THE BULK WATER DELIVERIES THAT WE'RE
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DOING, WHETHER IT'S BOTTLED WATER OR BULK WATER AND AND SO FORTH.IT, IT ALSO ALLOWS US TO, UM, COORDINATE WITH AND GET POTENTIAL HELP FROM OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES, UM, WHETHER IT'S THE E P A OR THE US DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND SO FORTH.
UH, SO I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW THAT, THAT THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS THAT, UH, WE CAN'T DELIVER, UH, THE NEEDED RESOURCES UNLESS WE GET THE EMERGENCY DECLARATION.
BUT WE KNOW WE WANT IT IN PLACE, UH, FOR REIMBURSEMENT PURPOSES AND, AND SO FORTH.
UH, WE ARE, WE ARE NOT GONNA BE WAITING.
UM, ONE OF THE INSTRUCTIONS THAT I GAVE OUR TEAM, UH, FOR THE STATE AND, AND WORKING WITH THE, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND OUR LOCAL PARTNERS, IS WE'RE GONNA DO WHAT WE ALWAYS DO IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION.
UH, WE ARE GOING TO GO BIG AND GO QUICK, UH, AND THEN WE CAN SCALE BACK LATER SHOULD WE SEE THAT WE HAVE THE AVAILABILITY OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.
UM, BUT I DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO THINK THAT, THAT WE ARE NOT GONNA BRING EVERY RESOURCE TO BEAR TO MEET THIS CHALLENGE, UH, UNLESS AND UNTIL WE GET A FEDERAL DECLARATION, WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA DO WHAT'S REQUIRED.
THIS MIGHT BE FOR THE CORE THOUGH.
UH, WE'VE HEARD SOME RESIDENTS IN SOUTH PLAQUEMINES PARISH COMPLAINING OF RASHES, PIPES, CORRODING ANIMALS, DRINKING WATER, AND GETTING SICK.
ARE YOU GUYS AWARE IF THIS IS BECAUSE OF THE SALT WATER INTRUSION, OR THIS COULD BE FROM SOMETHING ELSE? I CAN, I CAN ONLY SAY THEY'RE, THEY'RE ATTRIBUTING IT TO THE SALT WATER.
I MEAN, I CAN'T QUESTION, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY'RE SAYING IS HAPPENING TO THEM.
UH, RICK GORE WITH WG AND O THIS IS FOR
HOW YOU DOING, UH, COLONEL JONES.
UM, JUST TO REITERATE ON THAT 15 MILLION GALLONS, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND THIS.
UM, YOU SAID THAT'S GONNA BE MOVED IN NEXT WEEK TO THE FACILITIES.
WHEN WILL THE NEXT GROUP OR NEXT BUNCH OF GALLONS BE MOVED IN? WHAT'S KIND OF LIKE THE TIMEFRAME FROM MOVING THESE 15 MILLION TO MOVING THE BARGES BACK TO BRINGING IN MORE WATER? 'CAUSE I KNOW YOU SAID 36 MILLION A DAY IS WHAT'S GONNA BE NEEDED.
SO WHAT'S KIND OF THE TURNAROUND RATE FOR BRINGING IN MORE AND MORE WATER? 'CAUSE LIKE YOU SAID, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE BRINGING IN THE INITIAL 15, GOING BACK, BRINGING MORE.
WHAT'S KIND OF THE TIMEFRAME ON BEING ABLE TO GO BACK AND FORTH? SO THE CURRENT ANSWER AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, I MEAN, TODAY WE JUST EXECUTED THE CONTRACT TO GET THE INITIAL CAPACITY FOR 15 MILLION GALLONS ON SITE NEXT WEEK.
AND THEN WE ARE RAPIDLY MOVING THROUGH THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS TO OBTAIN MORE.
WE ARE, UH, SENDING OUT DEMAND SIGNALS ACROSS INDUSTRY AND ALSO SMALL BUSINESSES TO BRING AS MANY, MANY BARGING CAPABILITIES IN, MAKE SURE THEY'RE PROPERLY CLEANED, AND THEN WE CAN START SELL, ESTABLISHING A DELIVERY SCHEDULE.
NOW, THE OTHER ASPECT HERE IS THAT WE'RE WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THE PARISHES, AND THEY'RE IN THE PROCESS OF SETTING UP RESERVOIR BARGES AT THEIR TREATMENT FACILITIES SO THEY CAN RECEIVE THAT WATER.
OUR GOAL IS TO BE ABLE TO DELIVER WATER ONCE THEY'RE READY TO RECEIVE AND THEN GET INTO A REGULAR ROUTINE PROCESS.
AND IS THERE A CHANCE THAT THAT 15 MILLION CAN INCREASE OVER TIME? LIKE Y'ALL ARE GONNA CONTINUE BRINGING MORE AND MORE WATER EACH RETURN TRIP? SO IT'S GONNA BE BASED OFF OF THE REQUIREMENTS AT EACH OF THE LOCATIONS.
AS THE SALINITY INCREASES AT THEIR TREATMENT FACILITIES, THEY'RE GONNA REQUIRE MORE WATER TO MIX, TO GET TO SAFE LEVELS, AND THAT'S GONNA BE THE CRITICAL COORDINATION THAT WE'RE HAVING WITH THEM AT THAT LOCATION, WHAT THE TREATMENT FACILITY MANAGERS NEED, SO THAT WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE DELIVERING THE RIGHT AMOUNT.
SO OVER TIME, WE'RE GONNA INCREASE OUR CAPACITY TO DELIVER AND THEIR NEEDS ARE GONNA INCREASE.
ELI BRAND, W D S U, AND I WANNA FOLLOW UP ON THAT FOR JUST A SECOND.
NOBODY SHOULD LEAVE HERE TELLING THE PUBLIC THAT THE ONLY THING THAT'S HAPPENING IS THAT WE HAVE CONTRACTED THROUGH THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS FOR THE CAPACITY FOR 15 MILLION GALLONS.
UH, BECAUSE THAT WILL INCREASE OVER TIME.
THE NEED IS NOT GOING TO BE THE SAME OVER TIME BECAUSE THERE IS A CERTAIN, UH, AMOUNT OF SALINITY THAT THAT IS, IS OKAY TO, I THINK IT'S 250 PARTS PER MILLION IS WHEN YOU GET TO WHERE IT'S NOT OKAY.
AND SO OBVIOUSLY YOU NEED MORE WATER OVER TIME, SHOULD THE SALINITY INCREASE.
AND WE, WE BELIEVE THAT IT WILL, BUT IT, THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN OVER TIME.
BUT IN ADDITION TO BARGING, UH, THERE ARE OPERATIONS TO DELIVER BULK WATER, BOTTLED WATER, THERE ARE REVERSE OSMOSIS WATER PURIFICATION UNITS THAT ARE BEING BROUGHT ONLINE WHERE THEY CAN BE HELPFUL.
UM, AND WE ARE LOOKING AT STILL FURTHER OPTIONS.
UH, AND SO WE, WE ARE NOT INTENDING, AND YOU SHOULD NOT SAY THAT THE ONLY THING THAT WE'RE GONNA BE DOING IN THE FUTURE IS A BARGING OPERATION.
IT WON'T BE LIMITED TO 15 MILLION GALLONS.
IT WILL START OFF AT THAT LEVEL.
BUT WE ARE GONNA BE DOING MANY MORE THINGS THAN THAT IN ORDER
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TO ADDRESS THIS SITUATION.AND THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO MAKE CLEAR, BECAUSE WE, WE DON'T WANT ANYBODY OUT THERE TO BE UNDULY ALARMED BECAUSE WE'RE FAILING TO COMMUNICATE THE FULL RANGE OF THINGS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT SPECIFIC BARGE, BUT OF COURSE, WE KNOW Y'ALL ARE BRINGING IN WATER REVERSE OSMOSIS.
THAT'S, THAT WASN'T THE INTENTION.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I KNEW HOW MUCH, AND, YOU KNOW, THE TIMEFRAME ON THAT ELI BRAND, W D SS USES FOR WHOEVER CAN ANSWER IT.
UM, SO YOU'VE MENTIONED THAT IT'S GONNA TAKE A LOT OF FLOW FROM THE RIVER TO BE ABLE TO PUSH THIS BACK.
SO ONCE THAT SALT WATER MAKES ITS WAY UP TO GRETA, ABOUT HOW LONG INTO THE FUTURE WEEKS, MONTHS WOULD YOU EXPECT THAT SALT WATER TO AFFECT THE WATER SUPPLY IN THESE AREAS? SO RIGHT NOW, OUR CURRENT FLOWS ARE AT AROUND 148,000 C F SS OR CUBIC FEET PER SECOND.
WE SEE SALT WATER PROGRESSION OCCUR WHEN THE RIVER IS DOWN TO 300,000 CUBIC FEET PER SECOND.
SO FOR US TO GET ABOVE 300,000 CUBIC FEET PER SECOND TO START PUSHING IT BACK, WE WOULD NEED TO SEE APPROXIMATELY 10 INCHES OF PRECIPITATION ACROSS THE ENTIRE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY.
YOU KNOW, GIVEN THE FACT THAT WE DON'T USUALLY SEE THAT LARGE SCALE THE EVENT OCCURRING, SO WE'LL HAVE TO OCCUR OVER MULTIPLE LOCATIONS.
SO THAT'S GOING INTO A COUPLE WEEKS, TO A COUPLE MONTHS.
DO YOU KNOW EXACTLY HOW MANY MONTHS THAT COULD BE, OR IS IT JUST KIND OF A WAIT AND SEE THING RIGHT NOW? YOU KNOW, IT ALL DEPENDS ON THE FORECAST AND THE POTENTIAL PRECIPITATION.
WE DID HEAR FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EARLIER TODAY THAT WE WOULD SEE A WETTER WINTER GOING INTO THE WINTER MONTHS.
AND ONE OTHER THING I WANTED TO MENTION, WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF PEOPLE GOING INTO GROCERY STORES, BUYING UP BOTTLED WATER.
COULD YOU TALK TO WHETHER OR NOT THAT'S NECESSARY? YOU KNOW, I, I KNEW I WAS GONNA GET THIS QUESTION, UM, AND I'VE BEEN DEBATING HOW TO ANSWER IT, AND I'M JUST GONNA ADDRESS IT THE WAY I DID INSIDE THE MEETING.
IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO GO AND BUY, UH, LARGE AMOUNTS OF BOTTLED WATER AT THE STORE.
UM, AND THE REASON I DEBATED SAYING THAT IS WE CAN JUST REMEMBER BACK TO THE BEGINNING OF COVID, UH, AND IN MARCH OF 2020 AND APRIL OF 2020, UH, HOW MANY TIMES DID WE TELL PEOPLE YOU DON'T NEED TO GO AND STOCK UP ON TOILET PAPER? AND THE MORE THEY WERE TOLD THAT, THE MORE THEY HEARD, I BETTER GO GET SOME TOILET PAPER.
THE REASON THIS IS DIFFERENT IS THE ENTIRE STATE, MUCH LESS, THE ENTIRE NATION IS NOT INVOLVED IN THIS ISSUE.
THERE IS NOT A SHOT, A SHORTAGE OF BOTTLED WATER AROUND THE STATE OR AROUND THE COUNTRY.
AND, AND OUR BUSINESSES ARE GONNA BE ABLE TO BRING IN WATER AS IT'S NEEDED.
UH, WE WERE ASKING THEM TO INCREASE THEIR INVENTORIES, UM, AND, AND SO FORTH.
UM, AND SO, SO THAT'S WHY YOU SHOULDN'T DO THAT.
WE SHOULD ALL BE GOOD NEIGHBORS TO ONE ANOTHER.
WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA MAKE SURE, UH, WORKING WITH THE PRIVATE INDUSTRY, UH, THAT, THAT THEY ARE REPLENISHING, UH, THEIR SHELVES, UH, AS IT IS NEEDED AND, AND, AND THEIR OVERALL INVENTORY.
WE'RE ALSO GONNA DO THAT AT THE STATE LEVEL BECAUSE WE DO DELIVER BOTTLED WATER AS, AS WELL.
UH, AND WE WILL BE BRINGING IN EVERYTHING THAT WE NEED.
BUT THIS DEMAND FOR WATER, UH, IS NOT GOING TO BE INCREASING ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
UH, AND SO THIS, THIS IS NOT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE PRINCIPALLY CONCERNED ABOUT, BUT WE CAN CAUSE PROBLEMS IF THERE IS IRRATIONAL PANIC BUYING, UH, THOSE PROBLEMS WILL BE MANIFESTED AT LEAST IN THE SHORT TERM.
UM, SO I'M ASKING PEOPLE, UH, TO DON'T DO WHAT YOU DID IN, IN, UH, 2023.
UH, BUT, BUT PLEASE AVOID DOING THAT.
LET'S BE GOOD NEIGHBORS TO ONE ANOTHER.
IF YOU NEED BOTTLED WATER, GO BUY IT.
UM, AT THE SAME TIME, UM, WE NEED TO BE, UH, I THINK, UH, CONSCIOUS OF, UH, THE NEED TO NOT PUT AN UNDUE DEMAND ON OUR WATER DELIVERY SYSTEMS. UH, AND, AND IT MAY NOT BE AS ACUTE TODAY AS IT AS PERHAPS NEXT WEEK OR NEXT MONTH.
UM, AND I KNOW WE'RE IN THE DROUGHT, BUT WE'VE GOTTA MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE DRINKING WATER, AND WE OUGHT TO NOT BE OUT THERE WATERING OUR LAWNS WITH IT AND, AND SO FORTH.
UM, AND SO YOU, YOU'RE GONNA BE HEARING MORE ABOUT THAT FROM THE VARIOUS WATER SYSTEMS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
LAST QUESTION FROM ME, I PROMISE THIS IS FOR AMERICA, AND RELL HAS THE CITY DECLARED A STATE OF EMERGENCY AND OR ASSIGNED AN EMERGENCY DECLARATION? EXCUSE ME.
AND IF SO, COULD YOU EXPLAIN WHAT THAT MEANS FOR THE CITY? WELL, WE KNOW WHAT IT MEANS.
UH, AND YES, I DID SIGN AN EMERGENCY DECLARATION PRIOR TO, UH, THE GOVERNOR'S BRIEFING, UH, RIGHT BEFORE TWO, UH, PM SO THE
[00:25:01]
CITY OF NEW ORLEANS, UH, IS, UH, IN LOCKSTEP, I WOULD SAY, WITH THE STATE OF LOUISIANA.AS THE GOVERNOR HAS INDICATED, HE'S TAKING, UH, THE NECESSARY STEPS FOR STATE DECLARATION AS WELL.
SO THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS IS LINE.
I'M LOU PALMER FROM VERITE NEWS.
MY QUESTION IS FOR COLONEL JONES.
UM, OH, THERE YOU'RE, HI,
UM, HOW MUCH ADDITIONAL SALT WATER DO YOU EXPECT IS GONNA ENTER THE RIVER VIA THE NOTCH THAT'S BEEN CREATED FOR A SHIP PASSAGE? SO ONCE AGAIN, IT'S GONNA BE BASED OFF THE FLOW RATES AT THAT LOCATION.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE 620 FOOT BY NEGATIVE 55 DEEP, THAT IS STILL GONNA BE MOVING UP RIVER.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WHAT THAT DOES, BECAUSE WE'RE BLOCKING OFF THE MAJORITY OF IT BY RAISING AN ADDITIONAL 25 FEET, THAT'S WHAT GETS US THE 10 TO 15 DAY DELAY.
THAT'S GONNA GIVE US TIME AND SPACE.
BUT GIVEN A LONG ENOUGH TIME, TIME AND THE FORECAST, EVEN THAT SO WILL BE OVERTOPPED.
AND THEN FOR, UM, GOVERNOR EDWARD, JUST TO COME BACK TO THE QUESTION OF BOTTLED WATER AGAIN, UM, CAN YOU SPEAK TO, UH, NO SSEP AND OTHER, UM, EMERGENCY PROTOCOL FOR DISTRIBUTING BOTTLED WATER AND IF WE WILL BE DISTRIBUTING BOTTLED WATER THROUGHOUT PLAQUEMINES AND ST.
BERNARD PARISH AND HOW THAT DISTRIBUTION WILL HAPPEN? WELL, I DON'T KNOW IF WE'LL BE DISTRIBUTING BOTTLED WATER THROUGHOUT ANY OF THE PARISHES.
IT'S GONNA DEPEND UPON THEIR NEED AND, AND THEIR REQUESTS.
UM, YOU KNOW, SO FOR EXAMPLE, WE, WE'VE HAD CHALLENGES SINCE JUNE, UH, IN THE LOWER PORTION OF PLAQUEMINES PARISH.
AND WE'VE ACTUALLY BEEN WORKING WITH THEM, UH, SINCE THAT TIME, UH, TO DISTRIBUTE BOTH BOTTLED WATER AND BULK WATER.
UM, BUT WE ARE WORKING WITH THE PARISHES.
THEY HAVE, UH, BECAUSE WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY DECLARATION IN PLACE, UH, THE WEB E O C UM, UM, PROCESS IS IN PLACE FOR THEM TO MAKE REQUESTS AND THEY CAN CALL AND, AND CERTAINLY WHEN THEY MAKE REQUESTS, WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO HONOR THOSE.
BUT WE, WE, I CAN'T TELL YOU THAT THOSE REQUESTS ARE GONNA BE MADE, UH, IN A PARTICULAR PARISH IN TERMS OF, OF, OF, UM, WHICH POPULATIONS OR HOW MUCH OR HOW SOON OR WHATEVER.
BUT WE, I, I ANTICIPATE THAT WE WILL HAVE ADDITIONAL REQUESTS AS WE MOVE THROUGH THIS.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE ARE MOVING IN ADDITIONAL, UH, BOTTLED WATER, UH, TO ADD TO OUR INVENTORY.
UM, BUT THAT, THAT IS OBVIOUSLY, UH, A HELP.
BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE MILLIONS OF GALLONS A DAY THAT ARE NEEDED, UM, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S ONE.
AND I THINK CASEY TINGLE, UH, THE DIRECTOR OF GOP SAID IT VERY WELL A WHILE AGO.
THERE IS NOT ONE THING THAT'S GONNA SOLVE THIS CHALLENGE FOR US.
IT'S GONNA BE A, A COMBINATION OF LOTS OF DIFFERENT EFFORTS.
THAT'S WHY WE TALK ABOUT BULK WATER AND BOTTLED WATER AND, AND ROPE USE.
AND WE TALK ABOUT BARGES AND, AND, AND WE'RE NOT FINISHED TRYING TO GAME PLAN THIS OUT AND SEE WHAT ADDITIONAL, UH, RESOURCES WE CAN BRING TO BEAR.
IT'S GONNA TAKE ALL OF IT, BUT I DO BELIEVE BOTTLED WATER, IT, IT BOTH OF WHAT INDIVIDUALS BUY FROM STORES, UH, AND WHAT, UH, WE DELIVER, ALL OF THAT IS GONNA BE VERY IMPORTANT.
ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL, UM, HEALTH ADVISORS OR ANYTHING TAKING PLACE FOR PEOPLE WHO MIGHT BE ESPECIALLY SENSITIVE TO HIGH SALT CONTENT OR LEAD EXPOSURE, PREGNANT WOMEN, PEOPLE WHO HYPERTENSION SENIORS, ET CETERA? IS IT HAPPENS TO HAVE DR.
CANNER HERE FROM THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC HEALTH.
I'M GONNA LET HIM HAVE THAT ONE.
THANKS, LOU, FOR THE QUESTION.
I MEAN, JUST TO START, I MEAN, TO BE CLEAR THAT THERE, UM, ARE MASSIVE EFFORTS UNDERWAY RIGHT NOW TO PREVENT THAT FROM BECOMING A CHALLENGE AND INCREDIBLY APPRECIATIVE TO THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS, AS I'M SURE WE WILL BE AT A FEMA AS WELL SOON IN THEIR ASSISTANCE FOR THIS.
THAT SAID, UM, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE POTENTIAL HEALTH EFFECTS AND, AND WHERE WE'RE AT.
WHEN THE SODIUM CHLORIDE LEVEL EXCEEDS 250 PARTS PER MILLION, THEN WATER SYSTEMS WILL PUT OUT A HEALTH ADVISORY.
THIS HAS ALREADY HAPPENED IN A COUPLE OF THE SMALLER AREAS IN LOWER PLAQUEMINES.
UM, I'LL TELL YOU THIS, FOR THE VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE, YOU WILL STOP DRINKING THE WATER BECAUSE IT DOESN'T TASTE WELL.
WELL BEFORE IT BECOMES A DANGER TO YOUR HEALTH.
YOUR BODY'S ABILITY TO HANDLE THE SALT COMING IN AND YOUR KIDNEY'S EXCRETION OF THAT WILL PROTECT YOU WELL AFTER YOU'RE DONE DRINKING THE WATER FOR, FOR TASTE REASONS.
THERE ARE A FEW RISK POPULATIONS THAT WE ARE HIGHLY ATTUNED TO THAT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT.
UH, FIRST ARE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE BEEN COUNSELED BY THEIR DOCTORS TO BE ON VERY LOW SODIUM DIETS.
YOU KNOW, TYPICALLY FOR CARDIOVASCULAR REASONS OR, OR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE WHEN THE SALT CONTENT OF YOUR WATER GOES UP, THAT INCREASES YOUR BLOOD
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PRESSURE.AND SOME INDIVIDUALS ARE MORE SENSITIVE TO THAT.
THE SECOND POPULATION IS, UH, WOMEN WHO ARE PREGNANT, PARTICULARLY IN THE THIRD TRIMESTER.
AND FOR THAT SAME REASON THAT WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT HYPERTENSIVE COMPLICATIONS OF PREGNANCY.
AND THE LAST POPULATION I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT IS INFANTS WHO RECEIVE FORMULA MIXED WITH WATER INFANTS CAN BE SENSITIVE TO SODIUM AS WELL.
ON THAT LAST POINT, WE'VE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE U S D A AND WE'RE APPRECIATIVE WE'LL BE ABLE FOR OUR WIC CLINICS, THE WOMEN INFANT AND CHILDREN CLINICS TO SWITCH FROM POWDER-BASED FORMULA TO PRE-MADE FORMULA.
UM, I'LL TELL YOU THIS, AS WELL AS THIS WEDGE PROGRESSES UP RIVER, THE CONDITIONS IN THE WATER SYSTEMS AND THE COMMUNITIES WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS NOT GOING TO BE UNIFORM.
THE WEDGE IS GOING AT A CERTAIN PACE.
AND THE COMPOSITION OF ALL OF THESE WATER SYSTEMS IN PLAQUEMINE ST.
BERNARD, JEFFERSON, AND ORLEANS ARE ALL DIFFERENT.
THE COMPOSITION OF THE PIPES IN THE GROUND, WHAT WE CONSIDER THE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM IS ALL DIFFERENT.
THEIR SPECIFIC WATER CHEMISTRIES ARE ALL DIFFERENT.
SO THERE WON'T BE A UNIFORM SET OF CONDITIONS THAT IS IN PLACE ACROSS ALL OF THESE AREAS.
SO IT'S GONNA BE VERY IMPORTANT AS THIS WEDGE PROGRESSES AND AS CONDITIONS CHANGE FOR PEOPLE TO PAY VERY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE INFORMATION THAT THEIR LOCAL WATER SYSTEM IS PUTTING OUT, THE LOCAL PARISH IS PUTTING OUT.
AND THEN THAT WILL BE ACCUMULATED ON THE GOIP UNIFIED WEBSITE BECAUSE IT WON'T BE A ONE ANSWER FITS ALL.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? HE DO HAVE FACTS.
AND UM, ACTUALLY I'M PIGGY BACKING OFF YOUR, QUE YOUR COMMENTS A LITTLE BIT, DR.
UM, IF THE SALT STAYS IN THE SYSTEM IN NEW ORLEANS, AS IS EXPECTED TO DO, OR AS IT'S NOT, IT COULD, COULD POSSIBLY DO, UM, FOR
UM, AND, AND YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE DIFFERENCES IN DISCUSSING THIS EVENT NOW VERSUS 1988 IS THE DURATION AND 1988 DIDN'T LAST MORE THAN A COUPLE DAYS OF ELEVATED LEVELS.
THIS EVENT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO LAST MUCH LONGER.
AND AS YOU ALLUDE TO SARAH WITH SODIUM CHLORIDE SALT COMING INTO A WATER SYSTEM THAT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CORRODE, THERE ARE WATER SYSTEMS LOWER DOWN THE RIVER AND LOWER PLAQUEMINES.
BERNARD, THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT MORE FORTUNATE BECAUSE THEY'VE HAD THE UNFORTUNATE NEED TO REPLACE THEIR SYSTEMS BECAUSE OF STORMS. AND SO THEY HAVE A LOT OF P V C AND THAT'S GONNA BE BENEFICIAL IN THIS CASE.
UM, IN NEW ORLEANS, JEFFERSON, UM, WE KNOW WE HAVE LEAD PIPES IN THE GROUND AND WE KNOW WE HAVE GALVANIZED FITTINGS, WE KNOW WE HAVE SOLDER AND ALL OF THAT IS POTENTIALLY CORROSIVE.
SO THAT RAISES THE POTENTIAL CONCERN FOR HEAVY METALS, LEACHING OUT LEAD AND COPPER, THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.
I'LL TELL YOU, IT'S ACTUALLY VERY DIFFICULT TO PREDICT BECAUSE THE COMPOSITION OF THE WATER COMING IN GULF OF MEXICO WATER AND THE RIVER WATER IS NOT UNIFORM.
AND THE COMPOSITION OF THE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM, THE PIPES IN THE GROUND IS NOT UNIFORM.
AND IN SOME CASES WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT PIPES ARE IN THE GROUND IN EVERY PARTICULAR POINT.
SO IT'S GONNA BE VERY IMPORTANT FOR WATER SYSTEMS. AS THIS WEDGE GOES FORWARD IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO CONDUCT VERY FREQUENT TESTING OF THE WATER THAT IS OUT IN THE SYSTEM, THOSE RESULTS WILL BE MADE PUBLIC AND THEN ANY MITIGATING ACTIONS TO ADDRESS THOSE RESULTS WILL ALSO BE MADE PUBLIC.
THAT'S GONNA BE A MAINSTAY OF OUR RESPONSE BECAUSE AS YOU POINT OUT, THIS IS NOT GONNA BE A ONE TO TWO DAY EVENT, IN ALL LIKELIHOOD, IT MIGHT BE LONGER.
SO VERY FREQUENT TESTING AND RESPONDING TO ANY HEAVY METALS OR, OR OTHER ISSUES THAT MIGHT BE ARISING.
LEMME SPEAK TO THAT AS WELL, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
CANTOR'S, UH, ANSWERS TO YOU RELATIVE TO THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS.
I THINK THAT YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT THE SEWER AND WATER BOARD, WE STARTED, UM, ALREADY ANALYZING, UH, OUR LEAD PIPES THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
UH, THAT STARTED ACTUALLY A COUPLE MONTHS AGO IN REGARDS TO OUR INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS, UH, THAT WE'RE DOING AS WELL AS THE, UH, MANDATES FROM E P A THAT ARE COMING DOWN, UH, TO REALLY EVERY MUNICIPALITY ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
SO WE'VE ALREADY STARTED THAT, WHICH IS A GOOD THING.
UM, AND WE HAVE OVER 50,000, UH, LEAD PIPES, UH, IN THE CITY.
UM, BUT ALSO YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT, UH, WE ARE PUTTING A PLAN IN PLACE, UH, AS DR.
CANTOR SAID, THAT IT'S GOING TO BE CRITICAL FOR US TO CONTINUE TO MONITOR.
AND WE WILL HAVE A PLAN, A PLAN IN PLACE TO ADDRESS IT IN REAL
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TIME, MEANING THE FACTS.AND WE WILL SHARE THE FACTS EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.
IT'S GOING TO BE VERY CRITICAL FOR US TO DO THAT.
WANTING TO ASK, UH, RESIDENTS TO, UH, MAKE SURE THAT YOU FOLLOW NOLA READY.
UH, YOU CAN TEXT, UH, NOLA READY, ALL ONE WORD TO 7 7 2 9 5.
AND THIS IS A TRUSTED, UH, SYSTEM BY ALL RESIDENTS OF THIS CITY AS WELL AS VISITORS.
AND THIS IS WHERE CRITICAL INFORMATION WILL BE READILY ACCESSIBLE.
WE HAVE TIME FOR ONE MORE, UH, QUESTION FOR COLONEL JONES.
YOU COVERED THE FIGURES FOR THE BULK EMERGENCY SUPPLY AT THE TREATMENT CENTERS DOWN RIVER FROM GRETNA.
IS THERE A CONTINGENCY IN PLACE FOR THE TREATMENT CENTERS IN EAST JEFF, WEST JEFF AND NEW ORLEANS CARROLLTON UPRIVER FOR BULK SUPPLY.
SO AS, AS THEY'RE LOOKING AT THE CAPACITY OF THOSE FACILITIES, WE'RE, WE'RE IN DIRECT CONTACT WITH THEM ON WAYS AND MEANS THAT THEY CAN CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE SUPPORT THERE.
WE HAD A VERY GREAT DISCUSSION WITH SEWAGE AND WATERBOARD YESTERDAY ON THEIR POTENTIAL OPTIONS TO BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN SUPPLIES.
THEY'RE LOOKING AT THE SKY'S THE LIMIT, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY LOOKING AT SETTING UP A TEMPORARY WATER LINE 10 MILES UP PAST KENNER, LOUISIANA TO BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN FLOWS.
ALSO LOOKING AT OTHER OPTIONS AS WELL.
SO WE'LL BE HERE AS THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS TO PROVIDE BEST TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO THEM TO FACILITATE SUCH MITIGATING MEASURES.
AND FINAL FOLLOW UP, GIVEN THAT THIS IS A PRETTY WIDESPREAD DROUGHT, UM, WHERE'S THE WATER COMING FROM? WHAT'S THE SOURCE? SO IN REGARDS TO THE SOURCE OF WATER FROM THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER, THE, THE BULK WATER SUPPLY, SO THE BULK WATER SUPPLY WILL BE OBTAINED UP RIVER, UH, FROM WHERE THE SALT WATER TOW IS AFFECTING.
SO WE'LL GRAB FRESH WATER FROM UP RIVER WHERE WE DON'T SEE EFFECTS OF THE SALTWATER INTRUSION, AND WE WILL BRING IT DOWN AND DELIVER IT TO THE IMPACTED WATER INTAKE FACILITIES.
LOOK, THANK, THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT TODAY.
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE WILL, WE WILL UPDATE THE PEOPLE OF LOUISIANA THROUGH YOU ALL, UH, AS FREQUENTLY AS IS NECESSARY.
WE ARE GOING TO ENDEAVOR TO BE VERY FACTUAL AND VERY TRANSPARENT, UH, SO THAT TOGETHER WE CAN ALL, UH, MANAGE OUR WAY, UH, THROUGH THIS AS BEST AS POSSIBLE.
I DON'T WANT TO MINIMIZE, UH, THE CHALLENGE AND I DON'T WANT TO EXAGGERATE IT EITHER, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE GONNA DO THE VERY BEST THAT WE CAN, UH, TO, TO BE TRANSPARENT, UH, AND FACTUAL.
WE ARE NOT IN CHARGE OF THAT, AND WE NEED IT UP NORTH OF HERE.
UM, AND I HAPPEN TO BE ONE WHO BELIEVES IN THE POWER OF PRAYER.
I'M GONNA ASK FOR PEOPLE TO PRAY FOR RAIN.
UH, BUT WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA DO EVERYTHING WE CAN, UH, TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BRINGING EVERY RESOURCE TO BEAR THAT IS REASONABLY NECESSARY TO HELP US DEAL WITH THIS CHALLENGE.
UH, AND EVEN THOUGH SOME OF THE LARGER INTAKE SYSTEMS OR WATER SYSTEMS, UH, WON'T ACCORDING TO THE CURRENT FORECAST, UM, UH, BE INUNDATED WITH THIS, THIS SALT WATER, UM, FOR ANOTHER MONTH OR SO, A LITTLE OVER A MONTH, THAT TIME IS GONNA GO BY VERY QUICKLY.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO ASSURE EVERYBODY THAT WE HAVE A SENSE OF URGENCY.
WE'RE GONNA EXPLORE ALL OPTIONS, UH, AND, AND WE'RE GONNA DO WHAT IS NECESSARY, WHAT WE REASONABLY CAN TO, TO GET THROUGH THIS WITH THE LEAST, UM, UH, DAMAGE, UH, TO INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT ALWAYS PRIORITIZING, UH, YOU KNOW, HUMAN BEINGS OVER THINGS.
UH, YOU WILL SEE IN THE NEXT DAY OR TWO THAT REQUEST FOR A FEDERAL DECLARATION GO OUT.
WHEN WE HAVE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ADDITIONAL RESOURCES OR ASSETS THAT WE'RE ASSISTANCE THAT WE'RE REQUESTING, WE WILL LET YOU KNOW, AND WE'LL LET YOU KNOW WHEN THAT NEXT PRESS CONFERENCE IS GONNA BE.