Thursday, March 28, 2024

Louisiana reaching out to businesses in drinking water awareness effort

The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality said its Drinking Water Protection Team will be calling on businesses in St. Tammany Parish to stress the importance of protecting the main source of drinking water in the area.

“The drinking water supply in the parish comes from groundwater, which is stored in underground sand and gravel layers called aquifers,” the department said in a recent news release.

“Our actions, such as how we dispose of waste or how we use or store chemicals and fuels, can have an impact on the aquifers; how commercial facilities are managed can impact aquifers as well,” the agency said.

LDEQ’s team will visit businesses that use or store fuels or chemicals and are located near public water supply wells to inform them about their drinking water sources and what they can do to help protect it, LDEQ said. “Business owners will be provided a Drinking Water Protection Partner decal that can be placed in their windows to show their awareness of and support for clean drinking water,” the release said.

The campaign is part of the Drinking Water Protection Program, which aims to help communities in Louisiana protect their drinking water.