WATER QUALITY NEW ORLEANS AND FLINT CEDRIC S. GRANT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SEWERAGE & WATER BOARD OF NEW ORLEANS MARCH 16, 2016

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1 WATER QUALITY NEW ORLEANS AND FLINT CEDRIC S. GRANT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SEWERAGE & WATER BOARD OF NEW ORLEANS MARCH 16, 2016

2 New Orleans Water is Safe It comes from the Mississippi River, a reliable source for quality and quantity. It is treated and tested regularly. It is monitored constantly. 2

3 Flint s Water was NOT Safe It came from a unreliable source, the Flint River, for quality and quantity. It was not properly treated and regularly tested. It was not monitored constantly. 3

4 Lake Huron was Flint s Water Source for 50 years Flint agreed to break ties with Detroit s water system and join the Karengnondi Water Authority (KWA) to save money. Detroit notified Flint it would end its water contract with the city in one year. KWA s pipeline wouldn t be completed until 2016 some 2 ½ years later Flint switched to the Flint River, a previous water source, in the interim. That s where the trouble began. 4

5 Flint s Water Source from April 2014 to October 2015: Flint River April 25, 2014 Flint officially becomes reliant on Flint River water. June 1, 2014 Residents complain the water smells, tastes, and looks bad. Many said it made them sick. August 14, 2014 Flint s treated water tests positive for E. coli. Flint issues boil water advisories. 5

6 General Motors Stopped Using Flint River Water October 13, 2014 General Motors announced it would stop using Flint River water when they noticed the water was corroding their metal parts and products. GM said it would purchase Lake Huron water from Flint Township until KWA s pipeline was completed. 6

7 Department of Environmental Quality found Flint to be in violation of the Safe Drinking Water Act. January 2, 2015 Michigan DEQ found unacceptable levels of total trihalomethanes (TTHM) in Flint s water. TTHM is a byproduct of Flint s water chlorination process. The EPA says elevated levels of TTHM over time can lead to increased cancer risks and other health problems. 7

8 New Orleans source for treated water for 117 years: the Mississippi River 8

9 How NOLA Water System Works Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans 9

10 Water Treatment in Five Steps 1. Coagulation/Flocculation Raw water from the Mississippi River is drawn into mixing basins at our treatment plants where we add ferric sulfate and polyelectrolyte. This process causes small particles to stick to one another, forming larger particles. Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans 10

11 Water Treatment in Five Steps 2. Sedimentation Over time, the now-larger particles become heavy enough to settle to the bottom of a basin from which sediment is removed. Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans 11

12 Water Treatment in Five Steps 3. Corrosion control Lime is added to achieve the proper ph to reduce corrosion in the distribution system and the plumbing in your home or business. Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans 12

13 Water Treatment in Five Steps 4. Disinfection To protect against any bacteria, viruses and other microbes that might remain, disinfectant is added to the water before it is filtered. The primary disinfectant added is Chlorine. Ammonia is subsequently added to produce chloramine. Sewerage and Water Board carefully monitors the amount of disinfectant added to maintain quality of the water in the distribution system. Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans 13

14 Water Treatment in Five Steps 5. Filtration The water is then filtered through layers of fine, granulated materials: anthracite (coal), sand, and gravel. As smaller, suspended particles are removed, turbidity diminishes and clear water emerges. Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans 14

15 New Orleans Sewerage & Water Board Water comes from our plant lead-free. 15

16 What We re Doing There is no lead in the water leaving our treatment plant or in our distribution lines. We have a corrosion control treatment program to help prevent lead from leaching into the water from the service lines and customers plumbing. 16

17 to Keep You Safe We add lime (calcium hydroxide) which adds a protective coating to the interior of the lines in the system and creates a barrier between the metal pipes and the water traveling through. 17

18 EPA Regulations National Goal EPA Regulations indicate that 90% of homes sampled must have no greater than 15-parts-per-billion (ppb) of lead in the drinking water. New Orleans Results Eastbank = 6ppb Westbank = 2ppb Next testing period in June Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans 18

19 EPA Regulations National Goal EPA Regulations indicate that 90% of homes sampled must have no greater than 15-parts-per-billion (ppb) of lead in the drinking water. Flint Results Low = 300ppb High = 13,200ppb Results from homeowner who exposed the problem with Flint s water. Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans 19

20 New Orleans Sewerage & Water Board Provides safe, high quality drinking water and works in close coordination with DHH and EPA to monitor and ensure that lead levels stay well below the guidelines. While lead service lines exist, as they do in older cities around the United States, there are no issues with lead in our drinking water. 20

21 Homeowner Responsibilities Every homeowner has service lines that receive water from the Board. Those pipes should be regularly monitored by plumbers in the event of any concerns. Plumbing standards require polyethylene service lines. Many citizens have already replaced their service lines when rebuilding their homes post- Katrina. Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans 21

22 Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans 22

23 New Orleans Water is Safe If you are concerned about your water service line, CDC Recommends: ~Flushing your system in the morning. Flush and Brush! ~Using cold water for Drinking and Cooking. ~These tips & others will appear in upcoming S&WB bills. 23

24 New Orleans Water is Safe If you are concerned about the water service line between the meter and your house, you may want to contact a plumber. If you are concerned about the water service line between the water main and the meter, you may call 52-Water ( ). 24

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