Saturday, August 12, 2017

New Orleans lies while waters rise

Broken turbines and failed pumps dominated the news in New Orleans this week as residents found out to their horror that the Sewerage and Water Board had lied to them for years about the condition of the pumping system while they suffered more flooding.  The Times-Picayune blasted the Board and Mayor Mitch Landrieu yesterday:


Top officials at the Sewerage & Water Board misled New Orleanians about more than the system's pumping capacity during a torrential rain storm Saturday (Aug. 5).

Executive Director Cedric Grant and his staff hadn't bothered to tell the public that three of five power turbines were out of service -- one since 2012, one since May and one since a heavy rain that flooded some neighborhoods July 22.

Residents had no clue how precarious the situation was until a fire overnight Thursday damaged a fourth turbine. Mayor Mitch Landrieu's administration said that turbine was the primary source of power for most of the pumps on the east bank of New Orleans, making the city vulnerable to more flooding in a rainstorm.

 Sixteen pumps also are out of service, S&WB officials said Thursday. That is up from the 14 pumps the City Council was told Tuesday were out.

This goes beyond miscommunication. The S&WB apparently is in the habit of routinely withholding information that is vital to public safety. Residents have been led to believe that the drainage system is one of the best in the world and that they could count on pumps to drain the city efficiently. That wasn't true....

 At first Mr. Grant maintained that all pumps were operational during the flooding. He got testy when questioned by reporters, who were hearing from residents that pumps in some neighborhoods didn't seem to be on.

"I continue to tell the people what this system can do," he said Saturday. "It's pretty amazing in that it can do one inch of rain in the first hour and a half an inch of rain every hour after that. We are dealing with 8 to 10 inches of rain in three hours. It is not going to be able to pump that in an hour."

But that was a false picture of what was happening at pumping stations.

S&WB officials eventually acknowledged that seven pumps were down during the storm, then changed the number to eight. That grew to 14 and now 16. Nine of those were in the flood zone Saturday, and five of them are major drainage pumps.

 Joe Becker, general superintendent of the S&WB, admitted during the council hearing that almost half of the pumps for Lakeview were out during the deluge Saturday. Even that number changed during his testimony. He initially told the council that pumping capacity for Lakeview was at 57 percent, but then said it dropped to 52 percent for part of the day because of a lack of power.....  Rest of editorial
Grant will retire on a $175,000 pension.

  Heads. Pikes.  Walls. 

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm shocked that people are shocked......for decades the levee boards in NO were public troughs to be slopped at....why would you be shocked that the same is going on with this bunch.

noel said...

you'd need at least a million and a half in savings to equal that pension.

Anonymous said...

"...for decades the levee boards in NO were public troughs to be slopped at....why would you be shocked that the same is going on with this bunch."

Why do you suggest it stops there, with this particular trough. This happens with every agency, board, commission or public body that has a budget and a trough. All of them don't deal with flood-by-water, but all of them affect our present and future and all of them are lined with leeches attached to the insides of the troughs. Pick one. ANY one.

Anonymous said...

In New Orleans, crime and corruption are industries.

Anonymous said...

A government agency that lies, covers its ass and can't manage money? Say it isn't so.

This is why big government doesn't work. There is almost nothing, maybe nothing at all, that your government does exceptionally well and under budget.

Hate it for the residents who live in New Orleans who have to deal with constant corruption, excuses and now flooding.

Anonymous said...

12:23, lets not throw stones, while we sit in the glass house, that is Mississippi. New Orleans has no monopoly. The magnolia state is drowning in corruption, fraud and crime, even though most of it is setting well above sea level.

Kingfish said...

The levee boards were reformed after Katrina. No more beauty queens or politicos. Members have to have more relevant backgrounds.

This is all on the City administration the Board.

Anonymous said...

But hey, who cares about flooding? At least those nasty statues are down, right?

Mitch is a scumbag.

Anonymous said...

You are really so worried about this, when it has no effect on us. You want to update you blog, let's talk about current events that actually affects us here in the Sip.

Anonymous said...

Hurry with the 'Like' button!

Anonymous said...

There is almost no way to get through the G..Damned 'street signs'.

Anonymous said...

So, if the city an retire Cedric at $175,000 per year and he was in charge of all this mess, how can I get in line for one of those jobs? And by the way, it looks like N.O. didn't lose their tax base like Jackson or is it that the Feds think so much of them they will bail them out?

Anonymous said...

Move the Saints to high ground and let it all flood.

Anonymous said...

"You are really so worried about this, when it has no effect on us. You want to update you blog, let's talk about current events that actually affects us here in the Sip."

Hahahha. The "Sip" is done. Specifically Jackson. It's like a third world nation here. The leadership has failed Jackson citizens and it will only get worse. Jackson is a sh*thole. Unlike NOLA, there is ZERO culture here. No sports (unless you count D3 JSU), no concerts (unliess you count Yes and some of the jam-band crap Arden puts in), and zero reason to go downtown unless you want to go to some hipster or thug bar.

At least NOLA still has some charm (although they are losing that at a rapid rate).

The "Sip" as you call it is the worst of the worst. Dumb people, poverty, and filth. It deserves the national repotation it receives.

Never have I lived where so many people have major appliances on their front porch...

Anonymous said...

this is just one more example of why everyone wants to work for the government. you have no liability for anything and your total incompetence is rewarded with a six figure pension.

Anonymous said...

10:43 They said they have to pay those good salaries and bennies plus retirement to complete with the private sector. You know, the private sector that is only paid for results. Only in LaLa land does someone earn like this for producing nothing. Amazing really. I have to risk millions to earn that type of money. If I could just run a board with tax receipts and only have to keep equipment running--holy crap would I be all over that. Crap I could live large knowing the eagle is gonna crap a big check out every month for life. Wish I could be a public servant.

Anonymous said...

I don't know where the words public servant came from. Does anyone know of a single public servant?

Kingfish said...

You are really so worried about this, when it has no effect on us. You want to update you blog, let's talk about current events that actually affects us here in the Sip.

Why indeed.

Anonymous said...

KF, does it effect us now that one of the leaders to the whole mess in New Orleans is coming to work for Jackson?


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Trollfest '07 was such a success that Jackson Jambalaya will once again host Trollfest '09. Catch this great event which will leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Othor Cain and his band, The Black Power Structure headline the night while Sonjay Poontang returns for an encore performance. Former Frank Melton bodyguard Marcus Wright makes his premier appearance at Trollfest singing "I'm a Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Kamikaze will sing his new hit, “How I sold out to da Man.” Robbie Bell again performs: “Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Bells” and “Any friend of Ed Peters is a friend of mine”. After the show, Ms. Bell will autograph copies of her mug shot photos. In a salute to “Dancing with the Stars”, Ms. Bell and Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith will dance the Wango Tango.

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Meet KIM Waaaaaade at the Entergy Tent. For five pesos, Kim will sell you a chance to win a deed to a crack house on Ridgeway Street stuffed in the Howard Industries pinata. Don't worry if the pinata is beaten to shreds, as Mr. Wade has Jose, Emmanuel, and Carlos, all illegal immigrants, available as replacements for the it. Upon leaving the Entergy tent, fig leaves will be available in case Entergy literally takes everything you have as part of its Trollfest ticket price adjustment charge.

Donna Ladd of The Jackson Free Press will give several classes on learning how to write. Smearing, writing without factchecking, and reporting only one side of a story will be covered. A donation to pay their taxes will be accepted and she will be signing copies of their former federal tax liens. Ms. Ladd will give a dramatic reading of her two award-winning essays (They received The Jackson Free Press "Best Of" awards.) "Why everything is always about me" and "Why I cover murders better than anyone else in Jackson".

In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.


In order to help clean up the legal profession, Adam Kilgore of the Mississippi Bar will be giving away free, round-trip plane tickets to the North Pole where they keep their bar complaint forms (which are NOT available online). If you don't want to go to the North Pole, you can enjoy Brant Brantley's (of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance) free guided tours of the quicksand field over by High Street where all complaints against judges disappear. If for some reason you are unable to control yourself, never fear; Judge Houston Patton will operate his jail where no lawyers are needed or allowed as you just sit there for minutes... hours.... months...years until he decides he is tired of you sitting in his jail. Do not think Judge Patton is a bad judge however as he plans to serve free Mad Dog 20/20 to all inmates.

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This is definitely a Beaver production.


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There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.

If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

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