Army Corps of Engineers to Barge 36 Million Gallons of Freshwater a Day As Saltwater Creeps up The Mississippi River

As seawater threatens to compromise Louisiana’s drinking supply, the Army Corps of Engineers is planning to barge millions of gallons of freshwater into the southern Mississippi River, after the Governor warned against panic buying.

The plan was developed in response to saltwater intrusion in the Mississippi River – which historically provided a source of freshwater across the state. After two years of extreme heat and limited rainfall, however, the Gulf of Mexico is pushing into water systems, CNN reports.

Officials are now warning that a “saltwater wedge” will arrive in New Orleans water treatment facilities by next month – potentially corroding pipes and damaging the water supply in the process. New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell signed an emergency declaration on September 22, in response to the situation. 

The Army Corps of Engineers will barge the freshwater to these water treatment plants and combine them with the water from the Mississippi River, in an effort to mitigate the damage caused by the salt water. There will be an initial delivery of 15 million gallons but the facilities’ need could eventually reach 36 million gallons per day, according to the New York Times. 

In addition to the barging, the Army Corp of Engineers is now working to expand a levee constructed in July. The initial levee was 2,500 feet wide but now engineers are working to add more height. The levee was constructed in order to create a sill that would trap the salt water under the freshwater, according to CNN. 

Expanding the levee is a short-term solution, however, that will delay saltwater intrusion by 10 to 15 days. If there isn’t enough rainfall during that time, the state may still face the consequences of a contaminated water supply. 

“This is a serious situation,” Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards said in a Friday press conference. The governor is seeking an emergency declaration from the federal government.

Some communities, in the southern portion of the state, are already grappling with the consequences of the saltwater intrusion. Schools in South Plaquemines Parish were forced to close early on multiple occasions, due to issues with the water, according to WDSU.

In response to these issues, the state government is planning to distribute bottled water around the New Orleans area. The governor reassured residents that there would be enough water to go around.

“There is not a shortage of bottled water around the state or around the country and our businesses are going to be able to bring in water as it’s needed,” said Edwards, according to CNN.