Industrial water use threatens Louisiana capital’s drinking water

Unchecked water use by companies like Exxon risks saltwater intrusion and undrinkable tap water

Flowers seem to live longer in vases filled with Baton Rouge water, according to Dominique Rogers, 36, a florist in Louisiana's capital city with 14 years of experience.

The city pulls its water deep underground from the Southern Hills aquifer, which requires little to no treatment to drink, unlike other Louisiana communities such as New Orleans, which draws its water from the Mississippi River and requires heavy treatment.