News

Nov 18, 2023

Abandoned telecom cables could be leaking lead into parts of south Louisiana 

Louisiana is making headlines again this week, and not just for its LSU baseball stars. The Wall Street Journal this morning published an investigative report looking into abandoned cables left behind

Louisiana is making headlines again this week, and not just for its LSU baseball stars. The Wall Street Journal this morning published an investigative report looking into abandoned cables left behind by telecom companies that could be leaking lead into nearby water and sediment.

South Louisiana’s Bayou Teche in New Iberia is a hot spot for these rotting wires, of which there are thousands across the country.

The network of lead-lined cables in Louisiana was first installed in the 1930s by Southern Bell, which is now part of AT&T. WSJ reporters found cables protruding from banks, resting under bridges, snaking under water and drooping from the air at dozens of sites.

One sediment sample tested near a cable in New Iberia exceeded the safety recommendation set by the Environmental Protection Agency for areas where children play. Another pond that was tested had levels of lead exceeding the level at which the EPA recommends taking action for drinking water, and while the pond in Franklin isn’t used for drinking water, parts of the bayou upstream are.

AT&T didn’t respond to requests from WSJ for comment on the cables in New Iberia and surrounding areas. AT&T says in a written statement that it doesn’t believe lead-sheathed cables pose a public health issue. “The health, safety and well-being of our people, our customers, and our communities is of paramount importance,” it says. “For decades, we have managed legacy lead-clad cables in compliance with applicable laws and regulations.”

Read the full story.