The City of Monroe Responds to Dangerous Cold
(Monroe, LA) The City of Monroe and the surrounding areas recently endured several days of below-freezing temperatures. Ahead of the arrival of the dangerous cold, Mayor Friday Ellis and City of Monroe employees took necessary steps to ensure our most vulnerable citizens would have a place to escape the frigid temperatures.
A warming station was opened at the Liller Maddox Marbles Community Center on Thursday, December 22, 2022. We provided citizens with cots, blankets, water, and MREs (Meals Ready to Eat). We were able to provide 18 people shelter from the cold. The warming station was closed Wednesday, December 28, 2022, as temperatures returned to the mid-60s.
Over the last week, the City of Monroe’s Public Works Department has dealt with numerous water leaks across city limits. We received over 900 calls from citizens for help turning off their water and repairing pipes damaged by below-freezing temperatures. We were able to utilize the Eye on Water App to detect water leaks at vacant properties. Citizens who downloaded the Eye on Water App were able to detect leaks at their homes and notify city workers for assistance. If you haven’t downloaded the app yet, you can do so through your mobile carrier’s respective app store.
We would like to recognize the hard work of city employees throughout this weather event. Crews from numerous departments hit the streets responding to leaks and water shutoffs; we had several employees working through their holiday to man our warming station. One of our biggest wins during this weather event is that the City of Monroe has not had to issue one boil order to its subscribers. We were able to keep our reservoir tanks full and keep our water treatment process sound, ensuring the capacity necessary for firefighting and public health needs.
If a citizen is experiencing a water or sewer emergency, please call (318) 329-2385 for assistance.
Best,
Michelli Martin
Media Relations Director
michelli.martin@ci.monroe.la.us
318-372-7640