Another day, another water main break

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A water main break near Tulane University’s campus at Audubon and Willow streets flooded streets Thursday afternoon as the campus prepared to welcome thousands for its annual Book Festival.

New Orleans city officials asked residents to avoid the area. It was not immediately clear how extensive the break was or whether roads would be closed in response.

Councilmember Aimee McCarron, who was at the scene of the break, said several cars and homes in the area were beginning to flood as crew members were working to close up the valves.

The break, the 6th since the start of the year, comes just days after an extensive main break on Panola Street near South Carrollton Avenue that flooded homes and cars.

New Orleans City Council members have demanded that S&WB leaders move faster to address the repeated water main breaks, calling out spots where leaks have been reported but not resolved. Mayor Helena Morreno said she’s asked the state legislature to grant the City Council more oversight over the agency.

“[The break] is actually a block from a location that my office was worried this was going to happen to earlier in the week,” McCarron said.

“This is the third one that has happened in District A in the last two months and it’s got to stop,” she said.

The main break also comes on the first day of Tulane’s Book Festival, the fifth annual gathering featuring bestselling and critically acclaimed authors.

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