Press Releases

The Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans (SWBNO), in consultation with the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) has issued a precautionary boil water advisory (BWA) for the Lower 9th Ward, Holy Cross and Bywater neighborhoods which includes:

• The entire Lower 9th Ward
• The area bounded by Franklin Ave, The Intercoastal Waterway, Florida Ave and Mississippi River

A map of the area currently under a precautionary boil water advisory is here.

Water pressures in this area fell below 20 pounds per square inch (psi) due to a water main break near Florida Blvd.

SWBNO crews are responding, and water pressure is rising. Plans are in the works to make a full repair, but the priority now is restoring pressure. Once water pressure has been restored above 20 psi, water quality samplers can begin collecting samples for testing. Results may take up to 24 hours to achieve. Customers in other areas of the city are not affected and do not need to boil their water.

Residents in the affected areas are advised to use bottled or boiled tap water to drink, cook, clean food or brush teeth until further notice. Residents with compromised immune systems should also use safe water to wash hands, shower or bathe. 

SWBNO, in partnership with the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH), issues boil water advisories out of an abundance of caution for areas where water pressure drops below 20 psi.

We agree with the recommendations of LDH that it is prudent to issue these advisories out of an abundance of caution. The concern is that a pressure drop inside a water pipe could allow bacteriological contaminants to enter.

Continue to prevent the spread of COVID-19 during a boil water advisory by washing your hands often with boiled or bottled water.

Healthy adults should take the following precautions:

Washing hands: Use soap and tap water, dry hands, then apply hand sanitizer; the safest option is to wash with bottled or boiled water.    

Showering or bathing: Be careful not to swallow any water. Infants, young children and disabled persons should be supervised to ensure water is not ingested. Residents with open wounds, chronic illness or weakened immune systems should use boiled or bottled water to bathe until the advisory is lifted.

SWBNO will notify residents when the boil water advisory is canceled. If you have any questions, please call 52-WATER (504-529-2837).

INSTRUCTIONS FOR BOILING WATER

Bring water to a rolling boil in a clean container for a full minute. If the water has a flat taste afterward, shake it in a bottle or pour it from one container to another.

Please review general and LDH recommendations for managing a boil water advisory at ready.nola.gov/plan/boil-water.