| By DREW BROACH | Staff writer |
SOMETHING IN THE WATER: Louisiana’s public water suppliers could be on the hook for costly improvements later this year if federal regulators follow through with plans to slash the amount of "forever chemicals" they allow in drinking water due to health concerns, including birth defects and cancer. With many water systems running on tight budgets, some environmental advocates argue the burden should be on industries that produce the chemicals, which do not break down naturally and remain toxic for generations. CASE CLOSED: For 44 years, relatives, friends and strangers have wondered who abducted 5-year-old Stephanie Hebert from her Waggaman neighborhood in the summer of 1978, sexually abused her and left her body to rot, bound to a willow tree in a remote, wooded area 20 miles from her home. But Jefferson Parish cold case investigators now say they're confident they know what happened to the child, thanks to the courage of a man who faced down the violence and horrific sexual abuse of his own childhood to identify the serial predator responsible for her death. EYE OPENERS: A saltwater swimming pool, a ballroom, a lotus pond, a private courtyard and a wrap-around gallery are among the features of five luxury New Orleans homes valued at more than $1.5 million. Welcome to the weekend. Keep up with the news all day on NOLA.com. D.B. | 