Too many running faucets in Vermilion Parish causes water district to lose pressure

Most of the residents in the Southeast Water District decided to run their faucets to prevent their pipes from freezing, but that created a big problem Wednesday morning in the water plant.
Wednesday at 3:30 a.m., Southeast Water District Supervisor Tony Richard watched as the three large water tanks almost emptied, because of so much water usage on the south and east end of Vermilion Parish.
The three tanks normally have a 23-foot high water level when the temperature is above 32 degrees.
The drop to six feet caused the water pressure to fall, which prevented the district from pumping water to its customers.
“It has been unbelivable,” said Richard. “We did not turn off the water. We just can not keep up with the usage.”
When the temperature is above 32 degrees, the water district pumps 600,0000 gallons a water a day. Due to everyone running their faucets, the usauge jumped to one million gallons a day.
The water plant could not pump enough water out of the ground to keep up with the demand, which caused the water tank levels to fall in all three tanks.
On Wednesday, with no water going out, the water plant was able to fill its three water tanks back up to capactity.
Richard was hoping with the water tanks full, the district can be supplying customers wiith water by Wednesday evening.
But the water district was not still not out of the woods. On Wednesday night, the temperature is expected to drop below 32 degrees again. Richard said his crew, who has already worked 24 straight hours, is expected to work the entire night, watching the water pressure once again.
Richard said he can not wait for the temperature to climb above 32 degrees so everyone can stop running their faucets.
Richard warns that customers will continue to be on a boil advistory at least for a few more days until tests on the water comes back postive for usage.