Ray Nagin made some political hay with anannouncement just weeks before the mayoral election that Lower 9th Ward residents could begin to return home as the water was now safe. And almost 5 months later…
Residents of the Lower Ninth Ward are unhappy that they don’t have drinkable water yet and may not for a while.Several people protested at the Sewerage and Water Board Wednesday, saying that the inability to get quality drinking water is preventing their return.
“We can’t get trailers. We can’t start working on our homes,” shouted Gwen Adam, a Lower Nine resident.
Mayor Nagin said there are at least three major things that prevent the city from certifying the water in that area: lack of consistent water pressure, too many broken water lines and the poor quality of the drinking water.
“Unfortunately, the realities are that there’s heavy damage in the Lower Ninth Ward,” said Nagin.
The Sewerage and Water Board said it could not issue a timeline on when water would be certified.
Meanwhile Nagin may find himself in hot water due to his controversial yacht party in July
UPDATE: And NOLA bloggerDambala of American Zombie who had the yacht story before the Times Picayune put it on their front page hasmoreon the budding scandal