[00:00:06]
TODAY WE'RE OUT AT THE WESTERN KOSHER COMPLEX.
IT'S, UH, IT'S ONE OF THE LARGEST PUMP STATIONS IN THE WORLD, AND WE ARE HERE TO DO OUR ANNUAL INSPECTION OF ITS READINESS AND CAPABILITY BEFORE WE START HURRICANE SEASON.
IT'S AT THE CONFLUENCE OF THE HARVEY AND ALGIERS CANALS AND IT'S DESIGNED TO CLOSE OFF THE GULF NORTH COASTAL WATERWAY SO THAT STORM SURGE DOESN'T ENTER INTO THE MOST POPULATED AREAS OF JEFFERSON AND ALGIERS, AS WELL AS BELL CHASE.
THERE'S NINE PUMP STATIONS UPSTREAM OF US, AND THIS STATION CLOSES OFF VIA SEGREGATE AND SLU SKATES THE WATER TO SURGE FROM ENTERING AND USES A 19,000 CUBIC FEET PER SECOND PUMP STATION TO GET THE WATER THAT'S FED TO IT DURING A HURRICANE OUT.
THIS IS WHAT WILL TAKE ALL THE PUMPING STATIONS ON THE WEST BANK FROM AL DEER TO JEFFERSON PARISH.
BRING THE WATER THIS WAY AND THEY WILL TAKE THIS WATER AND PUMP IT OUT FROM HERE.
THIS IS WHAT'S GONNA KEEP US DRY ON THE WEST BANK OF JEFFERSON PARISH.
TODAY IS A TEST OF THE SYSTEM.
IT'S A TEST OF OUR EQUIPMENT, BUT IT'S REALLY TO SHOW THE SYNCHRONIZATION BETWEEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THE STATE, THE PARISHES, AND THE LEVEE DISTRICT.
I THINK THE REAL STRENGTH OF WHAT WE'VE LEARNED POST-KATRINA AND HOW WE'VE GROWN IS THAT WE RELY ON EACH OTHER AT ECHELON, AND THIS IS A TESTAMENT TO HOW WELL WE WORK TOGETHER.
AND THE HURRICANES DON'T CARE ABOUT PARISH LINES.
THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT FISCAL YEARS.
IT'S ABOUT READINESS OF AN ENTIRE SYSTEM.
THERE'S 11 50, 400 HORSEPOWER ENGINES THAT RUN THE PUMPS THAT GET THE WATER OUT.
WE MAINTAIN IT ON A DAILY BASIS.
WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE DEDICATED TO MAKING SURE IT'S GONNA WORK.
UM, AND IT DID COMBAT HURRICANE IDA, WHICH WAS A STORM SURGE RECORD.
THERE'S SEVEN FEET OF WATER ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE SYSTEM.
WE KEPT THE INSIDE OF THE SYSTEM TO ABOUT A ONE, ONE AND A HALF FOOT OF ELEVATION, WHICH IS WELL BELOW THE SAFE WATER ELEVATION FOR THE INSIDE.
AND SO IT WAS CRITICAL FOR THAT EVENT.
IT DID EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS SUPPOSED TO DO, AND WE'RE SUPER PROUD TO BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN IT AND KEEP THE 180,000 PEOPLE IN WEST JEFFERSON, UH, SAFE.
NOW, WE DON'T WANT TO GIVE YOU FALSE HOPES BECAUSE THERE IS OTHER THINGS IN REFERENCE TO HURRICANES BECAUSE NOT JUST WATER, BUT I THINK THAT IF YOU LEAVE AND YOU EVACUATE WITH YOUR FAMILY AT A NOTICE FROM, OF COURSE, OUR PARISH PRESIDENT AND OTHER LEADERS IN THIS AREA, I THINK YOU WILL BE COMFORTABLE TO BELIEVE THAT WHEN YOU COME BACK, THAT FLOODING WON'T BE AN ISSUE BECAUSE OF THIS COMPLEX HERE.