Sewerage and Water Board crews were on site Sunday morning evaluating the damage and developing a repair timeline.<\/p>\n
NEW ORLEANS \u2014 An emergency declaration was signed to speed up repairs after a major water main break in the 7800 block of Panola Street, according to Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans Executive Director Randy Hayman.<\/p>\n
In a video posted to social media<\/a>, Hayman said the declaration allowed crews and contractors to be mobilized immediately following Saturday\u2019s break. He said a 48-inch water main, about 100 years old, suffered two major breaks.<\/p>\n Sewerage and Water Board crews were on site Sunday morning evaluating the damage and developing a repair timeline, Hayman said.<\/p>\n Despite the damage, Hayman said residents on the affected block are not without water.<\/p>\n RELATED: Water main break floods Uptown streets; car swallowed by sinkhole, SWBNO issues boil water advisory<\/a><\/p>\n A boil water advisory remains in effect. Hayman said water samples have been sent for testing and that officials expect to know by Monday whether the advisory can be lifted.<\/p>\n Hayman said the city\u2019s aging cast-iron water system is brittle and especially vulnerable to cold weather. He apologized to residents impacted by the break and said additional updates would be provided as repairs continue.<\/p>\n Click here to report a typo.<\/a><\/p>\n \u25ba\u00a0Get breaking news from your neighborhood delivered directly to you by downloading the new FREE WWL-TV News app now in the\u00a0IOS App Store<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0Google Play<\/a>.<\/p>\n