Louisiana Declares State Of Emergency Over Tap Contamination

The governor of Louisiana has declared a public health emergency in the town of St. Joseph, where water difficulties have plagued ratepayers for years.

Governor John Bel Edwards signed a proclamation last week alerting the town of its emergency status. He ordered water tests at every home in the town within a month. The Louisiana Health Department urged residents to find an alternate source for drinking water. The department said the advice came “out of an abundance of caution.”

“On Dec. 15, 2016 test results conducted by the Office of Public Health showed elevated levels of lead in two samples — a private residence and the Town Hall. Also, there were two other sites with elevated levels of copper — both were private residences,” the health department said in a statement.

Bottled water is available for every resident in the town. Each resident will receive three liters per day.

“The bottled water supply will serve as a temporary remedy. A more permanent source is made available to the Town of St. Joseph while construction is underway,” the health department said.

Governor Edwards attended a community meeting in St. Joseph this week in an attempt to reassure residents that the state is being proactive.

"We're in this with you for the long haul until your water system is fixed," Edwards said, per The News Star.

It is not the first time St. Joseph has struggled with water issues.

“The Town of St. Joseph has experienced water problems for years due to the poorly maintained and deteriorating water distribution system. Frequent breaks in the water distribution system provide a potential health risk because of the drop in water pressure,” the health department explained.

Residents say their tap water frequently changes colors. Resident Garrett Boyte told NPR: "It's just a given fact that at some point during the week, you're going to have brown or yellow water."

Louisiana state health officer Jimmy Guidry previously told NPR: "Like most small water systems, when you don't have many customers, it's very expensive and it's not affordable."