"Saltwater Intrusion Threatens New Orleans: A Race Against Crisis"

New Orleans is facing a potential drinking water crisis as a saltwater wedge moves up the drought-drained Mississippi River, threatening municipal water supplies. The saltwater intrusion, caused by drought conditions in the Midwest, could reach water treatment plants near New Orleans in about a month, affecting approximately one million people. Officials are working to slow the influx by strengthening an underwater sill and shipping fresh water by barge. However, managing the demand for clean water could be challenging, and the duration of the intrusion remains uncertain. This is the second consecutive year of drastically low water levels due to climate change, making the situation more serious than previous dry years. Schools and hospitals are preparing for a long-term crisis, and there are calls for the construction of a pipe to pull more fresh water from upriver, which could cost over $250 million.