ELECTRICITY: CLECO is estimating all power to the area will be restored by Thursday evening. There will be homes that do not get energized.
If your house sustained damage or if HOMES AROUND YOU HAVE POWER AND YOU DO NOT, apply for a building permit (fees are waived). The City will send an inspector to assess if repairs are needed or, per your permit, your licensed electrician made the repairs correctly. It is counterintuitive, but this is the process even if your home did not sustain damage. Once approved, the City will notify CLECO on your behalf that you are approved for re-connection. If the problem is on CLECO's end, the city will notify CLECO of same.
Building Permits, apply on line:
Interesting (at least to me) it is estimated over 30,000 electric poles in Louisiana toppled in Ida. In Katrina, only 18,000.
GARBAGE PICK-UP TOMORROW: Coastal will weave and bob through the streets again tomorrow, getting what they can. We know low hanging wires, inexperienced truck drivers, lineman crews and debris haulers will block the natural flow of a route. I will be on the streets with their drivers and supervisors to resolve any street blockages.
SEWER LIFT STATIONS have been a major challenge since last Thursday. Our sewer collection system is not designed to run days on end without electricity. Of our 68 lift stations, the larger ones all have generators. We have been rotating four large, portable generators throughout the mid-size stations. These are not household generators and require an electrician to make the connection plus a city employee to monitor the well while it runs.
BOIL WATER ADVISORY remains in place as a precaution. As long as the City's water wells are on generator power, protocol is we maintain a boil water advisory. When the Advisory has ended, we will announce it loudly, publicly and with glee.
BULK DEBRIS PICK UP has begun. Separate trees, limbs and leaves from demolition debris from white goods (washer, dryer, fridges, freezers). If you are unable to fit all your debris near the road at this time, sit tight. After the first pass, you can move additional debris to street side for a 2nd pass.
