Residents on Kildeer Street in New Orleans are voicing frustration as a persistent water leak near their homes remains unresolved, even after 45 days of emergency repairs by the Sewerage and Water Board.
Jennifer Nomey, who lives in the neighborhood, said, “It looks exactly the same if not worse.”
The leak, which initially caused a massive and costly emergency repair, led to the loss of an oak tree in September.
Nomey expressed concerns about the city’s infrastructure, saying, “We know we have an aging, ancient infrastructure with old systems, but we also know if they don’t start being addressed more effectively, we’re gonna keep having more problems like this and more property damage, loss of trees. I mean, this is a dangerous situation and thankfully nothing else came of it so far other than the loss of the oak tree.”
While major repairs have been completed just yards away, Nomey’s corner leak continues to flow. “We were hopeful that that issue would bring about some change that we’ve needed for years. We’ve lived here for five years and we’ve had a leak at the corner the entire time,” she said.
Crews are no longer on-site, and the hole in front of Nomey’s house has been filled, the sidewalk repaired, and the leak dried. However, neighbors on the same block say their longstanding concerns remain unaddressed.
“What we would really love to know is when we can expect something to be done by SWB and what will be done,” Nomey said.
Residents hope the Sewerage and Water Board will address their long-term issues before they are left figuratively “high and dry.”
READ MORE:Road Patrol: Kildeer Street residents frustrated as water leak persists after emergency repairs
