ST. MARTIN PARISH — St. Martinville is returning to a sense of normalcy after the recent snowstorm according to Ricky Martin, the city’s Chief of Police, “We’re actually looking pretty good; we don’t look like we got anything frozen” Martin says. He attributes the peaceful conditions to the efforts of residents staying informed through online platforms. “Everything’s been good. I think the people listened to our posts we put on Facebook and pretty much stayed home. We didn’t have hardly any traffic, so that always helps,” he explained.
While the snowstorm didn’t cause any significant traffic issues, Mayor Jason Willis shared that it has led to challenges with the city’s water pressure. “We do have a bunch of busted (water) lines throughout the city. Residents have busted pipes that they probably don’t even know of because it’s under their house, around their house. Because it’s so cold, they’re probably not coming out of their house still, but all of these water leaks are taking a damper on water pressure,” Willis said. The mayor also noted that while this kind of issue is not uncommon following extreme cold, the city may need to shut off the water to address the problem. Afterward, residents may be placed under a boil advisory.
In response to the water issues, Mayor Willis urged residents to take precautionary measures to help resolve the situation. “We’re asking all the residents to preserve water, meaning to go around your house, check for water leaks. If you do have water leaks, turn your water off or call the city,” he advised.
Despite the water pressure issues, Chief Martin emphasized that the city is rapidly returning to its usual state. “I mean, you can see everything’s pretty much defrosting. For the most part, everything’s back to normal,” he said.
For residents experiencing water issues, Mayor Willis encourages them to contact the city at (337) 394-2237 for assistance.
