NEW ORLEANS – The head of the Sewerage & Water Board New Orleans told the city that only two turbines are keeping the pumps working and there is no backup.
Wednesday afternoon, Eric Karruth was sandbagging his home and praying the water stays out. He lives along Norman C. Francis Parkway and has flooded too many times to count.
“We had to block off the driveway because people were pushing the water in. This time, we said we’d get prepared,” Karruth said.
In low-lying areas, residents moved their cars onto the neutral ground.
Sewerage & Water Board Executive Director Ghassan Korban told the city the system is in bad shape. Two turbines are online to supply power and if they go down, there’s no backup.
Korban said, “We are in a fragile state. We have minimal, if at all, backup to what we have currently.”
Much of the system’s infrustructue is still crumbling.
“A minimal arsenal to combat drainage and heavy events,” Korban said. “It’s very, very minimal. It’s not a panic situation, but it’s a concerning and alarming situation, just to be as blunt as I can be.”
Resident Warren Bradford said, “It’s been better, but you never know when it’s going to come back.”