With the extreme drought and high temperatures this summer, Lafayette Parish is asking its residents to conserve water.
As of August 24, all of South Louisiana is in an Extreme or Excessive drought, the highest level, along with the record temperatures. These conditions have caused the state to declare a State of Emergency for Proclamation # 11 JBE2023, which highlights heat warnings, stress on water districts, and the threat of wildfires as we’ve seen in Calcasieu and Beaureguard Parishes recently.
LUS, along with the Lafayette Parish Waterworks District North division, has seen a daily increase of 25-35% in daily water demand. This drastic increase impacts water pressure, causing a disruption to all residents served by LUS and LPWDN, such as houses, schools, government offices, hospitals, and retail establishments.
In order to help, these restrictions have been placed:
Homes and businesses with odd-numbered street addresses may water their lawns and gardens only on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays between midnight and 2:00 p.m.
Homes and businesses with even-numbered street addresses may water their lawns and gardens only on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays between midnight and 2:00 p.m.
Failing to comply with this ordinance will result in a fine ranging from $50 to $500.
The official ordinance can be found here.
There is also an updated state-wide burn ban in effect as well. Private burning, grills, and small campfires are no longer permitted anywhere in the state.