On Wednesday (Sept. 8), Mayor LaToya Cantrell lifted the curfew for New Orleans residents and the Army Corps of Engineers began installing its blue roofs, two signs that recovery from Hurricane Ida is progressing.
Waste water treatment operations have returned to normal, the Sewerage & Water Board has announced, so residents can do their laundry, run their dishwashers and take long showers again.
Trash continues to fester in front of homes, however. The city is issuing an emergency contract to bring more trucks and hoppers onto the streets, said Ramsey Green, the city’s infrastructure chief, at a press conference Wednesday.
Recycling has been suspended while the city tries to catch up on garbage collection, but Green emphasized that the suspension is temporary. “This storm is related to climate change. The worst thing we can do is forestall the things we’re doing to fight climate change as we clean up from a climate-change event,” Green said. “I don’t like the irony of that, so we’re not going to stop recycling.”
Crews began picking up debris on Wednesday, a process that is expected to take months. Residents are asked to not bag their storm debris and to separate branches, logs and other organic debris from building materials such as drywall and shingles.
The city stopped transporting New Orleanians to shelters today (Sept. 9). “A lot of these people are seniors we had to move out of harm’s way,” Cantrell said. Officials have been inspecting senior living facilities before moving residents back in, she said.
Some violations have been found, such as windows that were inoperable because they were painted shut.
Cantrell also commended the efforts of volunteers, essential workers, donor organizations, business owners, residents, visitors and elected officials from across the nation for their efforts to aid in the recovery from Hurricane Ida.
Recovery updates and remaining community resources are as follows:
City Hall operations
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- City Hall will reopen today, Sept. 9, at 7 a.m.
- Today’s City Council meeting has been canceled
Entergy New Orleans
- 83% power restored as of Wednesday night; expected to hit 90% by end of day today
- Percentage of damage assessments complete: 100%
Debris removal
- Storm debris removal began Sept. 7
- Will include three citywide passes before completion
- Place storm-related debris curbside in the following categories:
- Household garbage: Bagged garbage, discarded food, paper, packaging. (Use city-issued trash cart when possible)
- Construction debris: Building materials, drywall, lumber, carpet, furniture, etc.
- Unbagged vegetative debris: logs, leaves, tree branches, plants should not be bagged so they can be more easily composted
- Appliances: Doors must be sealed and secured
- Do not block roadways or place debris near trees, poles, or fire hydrants or on neutral grounds
Department of Sanitation
- Sanitation contractors began regular trash collection late last week and will be emptying the city-issued containers and
- Residents are reminded to use the city-issued 95-gallon trash collection carts to dispose of refrigerated items and/or household waste
- Mechanical sweeping to the curb completed where possible
Return transportation assistance from state-run shelters
- The city is working with Entergy and our state partners to identify and transport residents back to New Orleans once their power has been restored
- Transportation from state-run shelters back to Orleans Parish will begin as early as tomorrow
- Residents in a state shelter, and whose homes are currently uninhabitable, are encouraged to apply for FEMA assistance for the temporary sheltering program
Office of Safety & Permits
- The New Orleans Health Department initially assessed 32 senior living facilities
- Nine of the 32 facilities assessed determined to be uninhabitable; closed by NOHD
- Residents from these facilities were assisted and transported to state shelters
- Office of Business and External Services has inspected all 32 facilities for any life-threatening issues and any additional violations and maintenance required for full compliance
- Additionally, other factors such as power restoration will be considered before residents can safely return
- Residents will be able to re-occupy these facilities once the cited issues have been corrected, the facility is found compliant, and the State Fire Marshal completes their inspection
- Once these buildings are brought into compliance the property managers of each of the buildings will notify residents when they are able to return
Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans
Sewer Pumping Stations | Sewer Treatment Plant
- Sewer Pumping Stations | Sewer Treatment Plant
- Five out of 84 Sewer pumping stations are not yet operational
- S&WB Networks Department is utilizing a fleet of vac trucks and flush trucks to pump out stations as they fill up and respond to back-ups
- Closing bypass valves to divert all flow to the East Bank Wastewater Treatment Plant; treatment plant operations are beginning to normalize
Drinking water
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- Water pressure and water quality are stable – Orleans Parish is NOT under a precautionary boil water advisory
- SWBNO Water Plant in Algiers is supplying neighboring parishes with water via filling stations in partnership with the Louisiana Department of Health
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- Call 52-WATER, if you are experiencing or see a sewage back up or have low or no water pressure, or visit swbno.org to report water and sewer emergencies
City courts
- The Orleans Parish Civil District Court, First City Court, Second City Court and Criminal District Court will remain closed until Sunday, Sept. 19; will resume normal operations on Monday, Sept. 20
- The Orleans Parish Juvenile Court, along with Municipal and Traffic Courts, remain closed until further notice
- Cases scheduled to be heard during the closure will be rescheduled as soon as possible
New Orleans Police Department
- Citywide curfew has been lifted effective 6 a.m. Wednesday (Sept. 8)
- The Louisiana National Guard and the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office continue to support NOPD in securing the city
New Orleans Public Schools
- The network of charter schools will reopen between Sept. 15-22
- This plan depends on continued power restoration and the availability of essential city services provided to returning families
- All schools will notify families of individual reopening dates by Friday, Sept. 10
- As schools reopen, COVID-19 safety will remain a top priority; students are encouraged to get tested before returning to school; testing programs at individual schools will be reinstituted
New Orleans Public Library additional sites opening
- The following libraries are now operational for computer/Wi-Fi access, phone charging stations, and air conditioning:
Thursday, Sept. 9
- Main Library (219 Loyola Avenue) from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- City Archives & Special Collections will be open from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; contact the Archives with questions or for assistance at 504-596-2610 or email archivist@nolalibrary.org
- Algiers Regional Library (3014 Holiday Dr.) from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
- Central City Library (Allie Mae Williams Multi-Service Center, 2020 Jackson Ave., Suite 139) from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Children’s Resource Center Library (913 Napoleon Ave.) from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- East New Orleans Regional Library (5641 Read Blvd.) from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Cita Dennis Hubbell (725 Pelican Ave.) from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Rosa F. Keller Library & Community Center (4300 S. Broad Ave.) from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Milton H. Latter Memorial Library (5120 St. Charles Ave.) from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Norman Mayer Library (3001 Gentilly Blvd.) from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Nora Navra Library (1902 St. Bernard Ave.) from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Robert E. Smith Library (6301 Canal Blvd.) from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 10
- Main Library (219 Loyola Ave.) from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- City Archives & Special Collections will be open from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; contact the Archives with questions or for assistance at 504-596-2610 or email archivist@nolalibrary.org
- Algiers Regional Library (3014 Holiday Drive) from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Central City Library (Allie Mae Williams Multi-Service Center, 2020 Jackson Ave., Suite 139) from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Children’s Resource Center Library (913 Napoleon Ave.) from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- East New Orleans Regional Library (5641 Read Blvd.) from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Cita Dennis Hubbell (725 Pelican Ave.) from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Rosa F. Keller Library & Community Center (4300 S. Broad Ave.) from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Milton H. Latter Memorial Library (5120 St. Charles Ave.) from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Norman Mayer Library (3001 Gentilly Blvd.) from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Nora Navra Library (1902 St. Bernard Ave.) from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Robert E. Smith Library (6301 Canal Blvd.) from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 11
- Algiers Regional Library (3014 Holiday Drive) from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Central City Library (Allie Mae Williams Multi-Service Center, 2020 Jackson Ave., Suite 139) from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Rosa F. Keller Library & Community Center (4300 S. Broad Ave.) from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Norman Mayer Library (3001 Gentilly Blvd.) from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Robert E. Smith Library (6301 Canal Blvd.) from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 12
- All New Orleans Public Library locations will be closed
- Residents must bring individual device chargers with them
- Plugs will be available on a first come, first served basis for an hour per person
- All other library locations remain closed at this time
- As additional libraries open, information on hours of operation can be found on nolalibrary.org and on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @nolalibrary
Regional Transit Authority
- Hours of operation: 6 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.
- Modified Saturday Schedule
- All bus lines operating, including bus replacements for Canal and St. Charles Streetcar lines
- For more information, call RTA Rideline at 504-248-3900
PODs (MREs, water, ice)
- Operating from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Joe W. Brown Park (5475 Read Blvd.)
- Mahalia Jackson Auditorium (1451 Basin St.), ending Sept. 10
- Skelly Park (2515 Vespasian Blvd.)
- Wesley Barrow Stadium (6500 Press Drive), ending Sept. 10
- John P. Lyons Recreation Center (624 Louisiana Ave.), ending Sept. 10
- Dryades YMCA (2220 Oretha C. Oretha Castle Haley Blvd.)
Blue tarp distribution
- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is providing blue tarps for Orleans Parish residents who sustained roof damage
- Residents registered for the Blue Roof Program are reminded to beware of scammers
- Blue Roof representatives never solicit your participation, nor will they ask for Social Security, bank account numbers or any compensation for this service
- Visit Blue Roof Information (army.mil) for information on how to retrieve a blue tarp
City of New Orleans gas map
- Check out the map of open gas stations, compiled by the City of New Orleans at nola.gov/gasmap
- This information is self-reported by gas station owners & operators; map will be updated as additional information becomes available
- Visit nola.gov/gas and complete the form to add your operational business to the map
Uber and LYFT transportation code
- Uber Code: IDARELIEF2021
- LYFT Code: IDARELIEF21
- The free codes allow residents to go to City Cooling Centers and PODs
Additional state & local resources
Disability Hotline
- Residents with mobility issues or other disabilities who need additional support in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida can call the Disabilityand Disaster Hotline: 1 (800) 626-4959
- Operated by the Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies for disaster-impacted disabled people
- Connects to resources on the ground
- Residents can also access the hotlineby calling 311
LCMC drive-thru vaccines and assistance
- LCMC Health is hosting a free community drive-thru event today (Sept. 9) from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at West Jefferson Medical Center in the Charles Odom Building, 5001 Westbank Expressway.
- Prepared meals, sno-balls and bottled water will be provided
Louisiana Department of Children & Family Services (DCFS) Family Reunification Hotline
- The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) launched “Connect,” a way for families to locate loved ones who evacuated from Hurricane Idea to a state shelter
- Residents can call 225-342-2727 fill out a form at http://www.dcfs.louisiana.gov/
form/dcfs-connect to locate loved ones who may be in state congregate shelters - Individuals looking for loved ones evacuated from one of the following seven nursing homes should call 211, which is coordinating with LDH’s Office of Aging and Adult Services to connect families:
- River Palms Nursing and Rehab, Orleans Parish
- South Lafourche Nursing and Rehab, Lafourche Parish
- Maison Orleans Healthcare Center, Orleans Parish
- Park Place Healthcare Nursing Home, Jefferson Parish
- West Jefferson Health Care Center, Jefferson Parish
- Maison DeVille Nursing Home, Terrebonne Parish
- Maison DeVille Nursing Home of Harvey, Jefferson Parish
- Call 1-800-755-5175 to reach Louisiana 211 from outside the state
McDonald’s hot meal distribution
- Local McDonald’s restaurant owner operators and McDonald’s USA are serving thousands of free, hot meals to New Orleans residents
- Grab-and-go meals include cheeseburgers, French fries, apple slices and bottled water
- Meals will be prepared and distributed from the McDonald’s McRig, a full-sized tractor-trailer with a nearly complete McDonald’s kitchen from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 8 through Sept. 11
