New Orleans – Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans (S&WB) has issued a precautionary boil water advisory for the Venetian Isles area. This event is the result of a water main break that has caused pressure in Venetian Isles to drop below the standard. The repair to the break is still forthcoming due to high water in this subdivision located outside of flood protection.
Residents in Venetian Isles are advised per the Louisiana Department of Health not to drink, make ice, or brush teeth with tap water until further notice. Residents in the Venetian Isles area that are immune-compromised are advised not to wash hands, or shower or bathe. All other residents are advised to take the following precautions:
-Washing hands: Use soap and tap water, dry hands then apply hand sanitizer. The safest option is to wash with safe water.
-Shower or bath: Being careful not to swallow any water, one may take a shower safely. Using caution when bathing infants and young children so that no water is swallowed is considered safe. A sponge bath reduces the chance of swallowing water. The time spent bathing should be minimized. Children and disabled individuals should have their bath supervised to ensure water is not ingested. Though the risk of illness is minimal, individuals who have recent surgical wounds, are immunosuppressed, or have a chronic illness may want to consider using bottled or boiled water for cleansing until the advisory is lifted. For those who want to be absolutely safe, use safe water until further notice per the Louisiana Office of Public Health – Infectious Disease Epidemiology Section.
S&WB and the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) officials will begin testing water samples as soon as the area is accessible.
Customers in other areas of the city are NOT AFFECTED and do not need to boil their water.
The boil water advisory will remain in effect until further notice for customers in Venetian Isles. S&WB will notify residents and businesses when the advisory is lifted. If you have any questions, please call 52WATER (529-2837).
Boil water advisories are issued out of an abundance of caution whenever the water pressure drops below 15psi. We agree with the recommendations of our regulatory partner, the Louisiana Department of Health, that it is prudent to issue these advisories out of an abundance of caution. The concern is that a pressure drop inside of the water pipe could allow an opportunity for contaminants into the pipe. Chlorine is a chemical that is added to water to combat contamination. The Sewerage and Water Board staff maintains a high chlorine residual and we aggressively and continually monitor our chlorine residual to ensure that our potable water has the ability to fight off bacteriological growth.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR BOILING WATER
Boil water for one full minute in a clean container. The one-minute boil time begins after the water has been brought to a rolling boil. (If there is a flat taste, it can be eliminated by shaking the water in a bottle or pouring it from one container to another.)
Please review and follow the Louisiana Office of Public Health’s Recommendations for Boil-Water Advisories listed on our website at http://new.dhh.louisiana.gov/assets/oph/Center-PHCH/Center-CH/infectious-epi/EpiManual/BoilWaterAdvisory.pdf or www.swbno.org to ensure that all tap water is properly disinfected before use.
What to do During a Boil Water Advisory
http://www.nola.gov/getattachment/Mayor/Press-Releases/2015/20150724-Boil-Water-Advisory/Boil-Water-Factsheet-General-Public-V6-0.pdf/
Boil Water Advisory Tips for Healthcare and Daycare Facilities
http://www.nola.gov/getattachment/Mayor/Press-Releases/2015/20150724-Boil-Water-Advisory/Boil-Water-Factsheet-Healthcare-andDaycare-Facilities-V3-0-(1)-(2).pdf/