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Sneaky Water Intruder Leaves Southeast Louisiana Salty

In autumn of 2023, the Mississippi River experienced low water levels due to a severe drought in Central America. Residents of Southeast Louisiana were significantly impacted by the drastic change in water flow because the Mississippi River is the region's main source of water. The river's fluidity cubic feet per second dropped to about half the rate necessary to prevent dense saltwater from moving upstream. Additionally, rainfall drought and extreme heat conditions aid in the disruption of stability. 

As the saltwater from the Gulf of Mexico began making its way upstream in the Mississippi River, the saline levels within the water began rising above the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) maximum salinity standard of 250 mg/L. This was a drastic change to public water systems with impacts of corrosive distribution and risk of consumption to unsafe water. In southeast Louisiana, Plaquemines parish was affected first with an intrusion at Boothville Water Plant. Weeks later St. Bernard, Jefferson, and Orleans Parishes were additionally severely affected.

The saltwater intrusion affected families and homeowners by providing the risk of water corrosion. This was especially a concern of residents with lead pipes and appliances. Furthermore, seeking water sources from water bottles for cooking, bathing, drinking, and pet-care can become inconvenient and scarce. Many families grocery shop for marketed water leaving some people without any. Community health was negatively impacted during the saltwater intrusion by way of skin irritation, reported vomiting, diarrhea, and increased stress. Neighborhoods were also impacted when main streets were closed down to install reverse osmosis systems. Farmers experienced risks of contaminated irrigation systems, crop damage, and loss of ecosystems. Effects on business owners included temporary shutdowns, infrastructure damage, and unsafe drinking water levels.

In plaquemines parish, solutions for the saltwater intrusion were handled appropriately, just with lack of fidelity and urgency. Once understood that the intrusion was underway, government officials selected a Booster Pump which would assist in transportation of safe water. However, the construction of this machinery was suspended and delayed due to lack of parts and manufacturing complications. This incomplete installation resulted in hundreds of families unprotected from contaminated water for several weeks. However, once completed the water treatment plant produced 1 million gallons of water daily. Moreover, the New Orleans District U.S.Army Corps of Engineers developed an estimated forecast timeline predicting the date in which Southeast Louisiana cities drinking water will be extremely affected by the saltwater intrusion. Other ways the government handled the saltwater intrusion included implementing drinking water advisories, providing homes with Reverse Osmosis units, and delivering over 300,000 bottles of water and ice to affected residents. 

During this time of catastrophe, people may be unsure of the credibility of US government officials due to awareness timing and the U.S. CDC expressing that there  is no safe level of lead exposure, even small amounts of exposure can be harmful. Effects of lead consumption include brain damage and increased risk of heart disease. Additionally, CNN reports, “Complicating matters in New Orleans is the fact that city officials don’t know exactly how many pipes are made of lead and where those pipes are.” This toxic threat is a major risk factor that allowed residents to acknowledge their curiosity regarding to what degree their health was being compromised.