Macro Companies of Broussard, LA, reached out to the ECUA Tuesday, looking for a water supplier willing to provide thousands of gallons of potable water destined for the Big Bend area in advance of Hurricane Idalia. Within a few hours, Bill McElligott, vice-president of Macro Companies and Robert Rogers, ECUA Water & SCADA Operations Manager had a plan in place and by late afternoon, 15 tanker trucks began rolling in to ECUA’s Ellyson Industrial Park campus to fill up. ECUA set up two locations to expedite the fill-up time where hydrants supplied the tankers an estimated 90,000 gallons of potable water. Drought conditions in Louisiana made it difficult for Macro to source the water locally before setting out to Florida’s Big Bend area.

“Each tanker holds approximately 6,000 gallons, and we are able fill them up in 35 minutes or so, about 170 gallons per minute,” Robert Rogers said and added, “we are happy to lend a hand and help get this vital resource to where it is will be needed after the storm.” On Tuesday, Mr. McElligott didn’t know yet where the Florida Department of Emergency Management (FDEM) would specifically direct his convoy of tankers. McElligott said, “Typically, we are sent to supply nursing homes, dialysis centers, and food preparation stations that are set up in the in the storm recovery area.”

ECUA will remain on standby as a source of potable water for re-filling the tankers should the need arise.



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