PLAQUEMINES PARISH, La. (WGNO) — According to recent reports from the Corps of Engineers on Thursday, Nov. 2, the saltwater wedge will not impact the Belle Chasse water treatment plant in Plaquemines Parish. However, some residents remain concerned.
“A couple of them were saying that they still tasted saltwater. I talked to them this week, and they say they haven’t tasted it. Some of them remain concerned about other readings that the parish doesn’t release,” says Plaquemines Parish Councilmember Mark Cognevich.
“When they were giving out the water, I was testing it out to see what water was good. I ended up getting the military water. I test it with my phone, and it tells me the percentage of the water,” says Plaquemines Parish resident Rolenda Merrick.
Since June, the parish has distributed bottled water to affected residents, but that has now come to an end. Essie Brown admits that some days it is salty but much better. However, she doesn’t plan to ever drink it again. She believes this could have been easily avoided if this were Orleans Parish.
“I buy the bottled water period, but we are always forgotten because New Orleans gets all the attention and everything. We don’t get anything. There’s hardly anything out here you know, they send everything to the city. You know in the rural areas it’s always hard to get something,” says Brown.
The residents say they are just seeking a permanent solution to have reliable drinking water.
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