By: Sebastien Sabillon
New Orleans, founded by the French in 1718, became a vital colonial port due to its strategic location along the Mississippi River. In 1803, the United States acquired the city as part of the Louisiana Purchase, doubling the nation’s size. New Orleans continued to flourish as a hub of trade and culture, with French, Spanish, and African influences shaping its unique character. During the Civil War, its capture by Union forces in 1862 marked a crucial turning point as it granted the North control over the Mississippi River. This effectively split the Confederacy in two and weakened its supply lines, contributing significantly to the Union’s eventual victory. Centuries later the once crucial city has experienced a decrease in quality and standard of living. Whether it be tornados, marsh fires, extreme heat, poor air quality, and flooding with the increase of sea levels. Now another problem has arisen, drinking water.
It’s hard to undermine the significance of drinking water. It brings nutrients to your cells, discards waste, protects your joints and organs, maintains your body temperature, and most importantly prevents you from dying. This crisis has fallen upon the citizens of New Orleans. The water crisis stemmed from the sudden infusion of salt water in the Mississippi River which stems from draughts causing the water levels in the Mississippi River to lower, and allowing salt water from the Gulf of Mexico to enter. Other causes are climate change and human interaction. This again shows the importance and necessity for the nation to take action against climate change as this does not only affect just the city of New Orleans, but the entire Midwest of the United States of America as well. This is due to Mississippi’s importance of supplying millions of people with fresh drinking water.
As mentioned before it isn’t only New Orleans that’s being affected by this drought, but the entire Midwest. So why is this particularly harmful to New Orleans? Well, over the years the standard of living in New Orleans has been dwindling fast due to climate change. Whether it be extreme heat, hurricanes, and the fact it’s sinking. The once key port and ideal colony has become a shadow of its former self becoming an unsafe land to live in. So with this new crisis expecting to get worse later on in the month, the future of New Orleans will be put to the test once again. How long can this city last?