New Orleans Faces Impending Drinking Water Crisis Amid Drought
While certain regions in the United States are known to be more susceptible to droughts, the true impact of living through such an ordeal is often underestimated. For countless residents of New Orleans, a sense of panic is setting in as they grapple with the consequences of a recent drought that has compromised their primary water source. The Mississippi River’s water levels remain persistently low, resulting in a significant intrusion of saltwater from the Gulf of Mexico. This escalating threat is endangering the primary water supply in the southeastern part of Louisiana, causing widespread concerns about an impending drinking water emergency.
Typically, the topography of the Gulf of Mexico allows saltwater to encroach inland, but the downstream flow of the river usually acts as a barrier, preventing saltwater intrusion. However, the severe drought conditions currently afflicting New Orleans have prompted the Army Corps to take action since July to combat this issue. They have implemented measures to safeguard residents’ drinking water from compromise.
With no relief from the drought in sight, the Army Corps is now preparing to dilute local water supplies if salinity levels are found to be excessively high in tests. This proactive approach involves importing millions of gallons of clean water since consuming water with elevated salinity levels can pose various health risks, including increased blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases (CVD), diarrhea, abdominal pain, and complications for individuals with kidney disease.
How to Prepare for the Crisis
Given that millions rely on this water source for their primary drinking water, the looming uncertainty has left many feeling alarmed. However, you can alleviate this fear by ensuring a constant supply of clean drinking water through the use of iSpring’s reverse osmosis (RO) water filtration systems. Our RO systems can eliminate up to 99% of contaminants commonly found in water, including vinyl chloride, chlorine, fluoride, lead, arsenic, asbestos, calcium, sodium, and more. Furthermore, each of these systems can purify saltwater, making it safe for consumption.