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St. John the Baptist Parish officials have advised residents to conserve water as overloading the parish water system could strain the parish’s water system.

As freezing temperatures, boil water advisories are in effect for subdivisions in the parish, including Reserve, Garyville, Mt. Airy, Edgard, Wallace, and Pleasure Bend, until further notice. 

Officials say an unusually high volume of leaks impacting systems across the parish could overload the water system, resulting in more boil water advisories.

Low pressure can lead to bacteria entering the water system, officials said. So, as a precaution, water system customers are advised to boil water before consuming or cooking with it until tests can be completed. Boil water advisories are given when microbes in tap water could be dangerous if ingested.

“At this time, due to lower-than-normal water pressure, Reserve, Garyville, Mt. Airy, Edgard Wallace, and Pleasure Bend are under a Boil Water Advisory until further notice,” Baileigh Helm, St John’s communications director, said in a news release. “Please bring water to a rolling boil out of precaution for one minute.”

“Temperatures will rise above freezing around 9:00 a.m. Residents are advised to please turn off dripping faucets as we warm up today. Residents are also encouraged to conserve water and refrain from non-essential water use as much as possible in an effort to replenish water systems from the freeze,” she said.