More water leaks than usual in Lafayette, Louisiana
3/8/2024 12:00:00 AM
CATEGORIES:
Relief, Response & Restrictions
Society & Public Health
Water Supply & Quality
AFFECTED AREAS:
Lafayette Parish, LA
Lafayette, LA
Start Date: 10/3/2023
- End Date: 3/7/2024
Lafayette Utilities System was still trying to catch up with the backlog of broken water lines and other issues brought on by last summer’s drought and the winter freezes. As of the morning of March 1, LUS had a backlog of 1,265 work orders, including a few hundred water leaks, according to the LUS director.
Water in the pipes freezes, expands and breaks the pipe. When the pipe thaws, it leaks. Drought causes the soil to shift as it dries, changing the support for the old pipes, some of which were 50 to 70 years old.
The Acadiana Advocate (La.), March 7, 2024
More water leaks than normal have been occurring in Lafayette.
"We have a number of leaks across the system," said the water system director. "The drought, the soil shrinking, we had pipes moving, breaking, joints coming loose. So we have a lot more leaks than usual."
KATC (Lafayette, La.), Oct 3, 2023
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