Baton Rouge water said to be safe

Diesel generators prevented Hurricane Gustav from affecting the flow of and quality of drinking water for all Baton Rouge Water Co. and Parish Water Co. customers, company officials said today.

“Lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina had us prepared in case we lost power,” said Baton Rouge Water Co. Senior Vice President Hays D. Owen.

“We have normal flows, normal pressure, the water is chlorinated and our water is safe  to  drink,” Owen said.

Owen said 75 percent of Baton Rouge Water Co.’s water wells are running on diesel generators while the other 25 percent have had power restored.

For Parish Water Co., 65 percent of the wells are running on diesel generators, Owen said, while 35 percent are running on power that has been restored.

Owen said his company is prepared and stocked with diesel for the generators. The company is also gathering diesel from local plants on a daily basis,  he said.

Baton Rouge Water Co. provides water services to the city while Parish Water Co. provides water to East Baton Rouge Parish excluding the city, Baker and Zachary, Owen  said.