Amid warnings to New Orleanians that running faucets to keep pipes from freezing has prompted water pressure dips, Sewerage & Water Board officials say do not fret.
Though heavy water use has depleted some of the system’s storage, Sensebe said he expects consumption levels to return to normal once warmer weather starts rolling by Friday.
"Due to the cooperation of the public throughout the day, we’re gradually building pressure back up and anticipate pressure here at the plant being back to normal throughout the evening," Sensebe said Wednesday afternoon.
He urged residents to just run a pencil lead-thin line of water from the faucet furthest away from a property’s stop valve, and to run one faucet only.
A pressure drop "naturally pushes its way out of the system," Sensebe said, but a return to water-pressure normalcy depends on people cutting down daytime use.
High demand aside, Sensebe said the utility’s hobbled power-generation system has not affected water production at the Carrollton water plant, which operates the east bank’s water system.
Downed power turbines likely hampered the Sewerage & Water Board’s ability to run the utility’s drainage pumps full steam on Aug. 5, when rainfall tallying 9 inches in spots caused widespread flooding.
"We operate at a constant power demand throughout the system here at the (Carrollton) plant," Sensebe said.
"If we had a severe drop in water pressure due to people running water, it would absolutely affect us in the long run at a major fire," McConnell said.
A hard freeze warning, during which temperatures could drop to as low as 19 degrees overnight, will be in effect for St. Tammany and St. John the Baptist parishes.