Orleans Parish County, Louisiana — public water systems

How does Orleans Parish County compare with other Louisiana counties?

Orleans Parish County has the 43rd-most active public water systems among the 79 counties listed for active Louisiana systems in EPA records; among the 59 with 3 or more systems, the median has 13. Its systems report 389,093 people served in total, the 3rd-largest county figure in the state and 7.4% of the statewide total. The average system here reports serving 38,909 people, about 8.3 times the Louisiana average of 4,685. Population figures are what each system reports; people served by more than one system, such as a wholesaler and the town that buys from it, are counted by each.

Where does Orleans Parish County's drinking water come from?

By primary water source, Orleans Parish County's active systems draw on purchased surface water (7, 70%), surface water (2, 20%) and groundwater (1, 10%). Overall, 10% rely mainly on groundwater (including purchased groundwater) and 90% on surface water, compared with 92% and 7.7% across Louisiana. Purchased surface water means the system buys surface water from another public water system rather than drawing its own. The county's largest system, New Orleans Carrollton Water Works, draws primarily on surface water.

What kinds of water systems operate in Orleans Parish County?

Orleans Parish County's active systems break down as 2 community systems (20%), 7 non-transient non-community systems (70%) and 1 transient non-community systems (10%). A community water system serves at least 15 connections used by year-round residents, or regularly serves at least 25 year-round residents. Homes, apartments and mobile-home parks are served by these. A non-transient non-community water system regularly serves at least 25 of the same people for more than six months a year, but not where they live. Schools, factories, office buildings and hospitals with their own supply are typical examples. A transient non-community water system serves places where people do not stay long, such as gas stations and campgrounds, and regularly serves at least 25 people a day for at least 60 days a year. EPA lists their owner types as local government (90%) and private (10%).