Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans preparing pumps, employees ahead of heavy rainfall

Raeven Poole
·2 min read
1

NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — The WGNO weather team is predicting high chances of rain throughout the Greater New Orleans area starting Monday and heading into Tuesday.

With the latest forecast, leaders with the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans say they are preparing for what the weather event may bring.

In regard to drainage operations, SWBNO leaders say crews have been preparing for increased levels of rain by lowering drainage canal levels.

Additionally, through power operations, turbine six was turned on Monday, March 4 in anticipation of a power outage caused by high winds. This will allow drinking water pumps to have a backup source of 60 hertz.

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SWBNO leaders say turbine five is up and running while turbine four, a 120-year-old turbine, is undergoing active testing to be brought online to provide an extra 18 megawatts of power to the drainage system.

Also, the SWBNO reports heading into the weather event, 93 of the 99 major drainage pumps are available for use.

The pumps that will not be online are:

  • DPS 3 on Florida Avenue near Highway 90: D Pump out of service due to replacement of bearing housing unit

    • Four additional drainage pumps are available at this station plus four constant duty pumps

  • DPS 10 at Hayne Boulevard and Shubrick Avenue at Citrus Canal: No. 1 Pump out of service

    • Three additional drainage pumps are available at this station

  • DPS 13 near Tall Timbers Algiers: No. 4 Pump on standby for emergency use only

    • Five additional drainage pumps are available at this station plus one constant-duty pump

  • DPS 15 near Intracoastal Waterway and Industrial Parkway: No. 1 Pump out of service

    • Two additional drainage pumps are available at this station

  • DPS 17 near Florida Avenue and Peoples Avenue: Pumps A & D are out of service due to issues with the electric motor

To view the status of all drainage pumps, customers can view the Pump and Power Station dashboard on the SWBNO’s website.

Additional essential workers have been scheduled to work through the event until Tuesday, March 5.

Customers who need to report any water-related issues can call the emergency hotline at 52-WATER or 504-529-2837. Flooding should be reported to 911.

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