In this aerial photo, sediment and mixed river water is seen as a tanker ship moves upriver, Sept. 26, 2023, in Plaquemines Parish, La. Salt water from the Gulf of Mexico has caused problems for water systems in Plaquemines Parish. Fears that it would reach New Orleans’ water intakes have abated amid improved forecasts, but officials in the area say the threat could return in years to come as climate change, sea level rise and dredging of the river for commercial traffic all could contribute to salt water intrusion. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The heating element removed from Monique Plaisance's water heater in September was disintegrating, streaked with rust and covered in a dry crust. She blamed the corrosion on the water piped in from the area's longtime drinking water source: the Mississippi River.
