Got Water?
First, a reminder that I’ll have some of my “Everything is Monsters” pieces in a group show of miniatures which opens Saturday, October 7th 6-10 P.M. at the NOLA ‘NACULAR Studio & Gallery, 1172 Magazine Street at Erato. I’m hoping to also have a monster zine available for sale.
In true New Orleans fashion, just as we approach mid-hurricane season without any major storms, we find out that our drinking water may become filled with salt in about a month due to drought in the midwest and the low Mississippi River. Our drinking water is treated Mississippi water, a river that drains two thirds of the United States, including many farms.
For several months, we’ve known the parish south of ours, Plaquemines, has needed potable water shipped in and the Army Corps built a “sill” in the Mississippi to try and block what’s known as the “salt wedge” from intruding on the water intake for their parish. Now, they are going to build it higher with a wedge cut out so ships can fit through. New Orleans has over 16 times the population of Plaquemines Parish!
I’m trying not to think about people living in poverty, hospitals, schools, restaurants, the list goes on. There’s also part of me that thinks, great! maybe this can kill our over reliance on unregulated Air B&Bs and tourism as a giant industry here that benefits only a few.
This is all happening in this country which has left Flint, Michigan without safe drinking water since 2014! NINE YEARS.
The same country where the majority Black city of Jackson, Mississippi had a water crisis years in the making.
A song today from Prinz and Gabriela Bee, “Highs and Lows,” one of Benton’s favorites.
Love all a ya’ll
through time
& space
xo
Cassie