New Orleans braces for drinking water emergency from drought-stricken Mississippi River
Officials in Louisiana are in a race against time as salt water from the Gulf of Mexico threatens drinking water supplies in New Orleans and its surrounding areas because of unusually low levels in the drought-addled Mississippi River.
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell signed an emergency declaration Friday in response to concerns that salt water encroaching upriver could affect the availability of safe drinking water in the coming weeks.
The situation highlights the dangers of saltwater intrusion for communities in the southeastern part of Louisiana and adds to broader concerns about climate change and the availability of safe drinking water in drought-prone parts of the country.
https://www.nbcnews.com/science/environment/new-orleans-braces-drinking-water-emergency-drought-stricken-mississip-rcna117218Open linkView original on lemmy.world181
Comments20
Wisconsin here. Sorry, we're just now getting regular rain fall...there are small ponds here I've never seen empty, and they are all dried up. I'm 47.
Happy birthday!
Not today...but thanks.
And thus, the water wars began…
Inability to get water to annexed Crimea was a major reason for Russia to invade Ukraine. The water wars have already started
What do you mean began? In the Western US they started over 100 years ago and they're STILL going on.
Well shit. Just moved to NOLA.
As a resident of the area.... I am sorry for your loss.
Haha, how does our state leadership feel about climate change? Back in Texas they still pretend it's not real.
John Bel Edwards, Has put a great amount of care. 2 issues though: 1, the state Senate and 2, other states. Louisiana is " the asshole of the US" in a very literal sense. As a result we have to deal with the pollution from over 100 million people in 19 states directly. Policy under Edwards has been rather pro protection of the bayou. That's all Louisiana can do. Louisiana doesn't emit a lot of emissions, and Louisianas main export isn't even oil any more, its soybeans. Blaming Louisiana for climate change is like blaming the kid being bullied for the bullies.
Does Louisiana still vote GOP in House, Senate, and presidential elections? Then they're still one of the climate (and LGBTQ and racial and class and...) bullies.
??????? We aren't talking about that? Your moral grand standing is not productive. We are discussing climate change, nothing else.
??? Republicans have a way worse record on climate action than Democrats?
Joke on you Louisiana has no economy to take action on in the first place. Also I already covered that earlier. I'm not repeating.
“Louisiana: At least we’re not Mississippi.”
I'm not blaming us... We are going to be hit by the effects more than a lot of states so we better start trying to mitigate stuff. Also just learned we are about to be drinking saltwater because of a drought north of us 😭
Edit: LOL, I learned about that here! Sorry I'm tired.
You're still in america, son.
It’s funny to think that New Orleans is complaining about not having ENOUGH water.