Salt water from the Gulf of Mexico is creeping up the drought-stricken Mississippi River and threatening drinking water supplies in some Louisiana communities, including New Orleans, prompting the state’s governor to warn Friday he may request federal help.
Gov. John Bel Edwards said during a news conference that he is just a couple days away from requesting an emergency declaration from the federal government to get more agencies to address the issue and authorize the state “to take emergency protective measures with some level of reimbursement available.”
“Unfortunately, we just haven’t had the relief from dry conditions … so that (saltwater) intrusion is worsening, in the sense that it’s moving further up the river,” Edwards said.
Source: USNEWS
