While field personnel from the Louisiana Rural Water Association are assisting small water utilities in the wake of Hurricane Gustav, rural water officials in Florida and Louisiana are planning for the potential landfall of hurricane Ike. Current predictions have the Category 2 Ike hitting the Florida Keys early this week before moving into the Gulf of Mexico and potentially gaining strength. Ike could make landfall in Texas, Louisiana or Mississippi as early as Friday.
       The current relief effort in rural Louisiana is winding down with State Rural Water Response Teams from other states returning home while LRWA continues to assist 5 parishes that remain without power. The effort has received wide praise from the Governor, during a news conference, thanking Louisiana Rural Water and the other state associations for their work and response. Additionally a letter to the Governor’s office from EPA Region VI stated “LRWA is fantastic at finding needed equipment and providing invaluable technical assistance to the facility operators so I will send this information nightly to them so they can possibly assist faster than the State/Fed processes.” Assistance efforts have focused on providing emergency generators and on-site technical expertise.
           Rural water associations in Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Arkansas have contributed staff and equipment to the recovery effort.

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