EPA orders public water supply systems in northeast Louisiana into compliance

Based on numerous citizen complaints about the quality and safety of drinking water provided by public water supply systems in northeast Louisiana, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the issuance of six administrative orders to owner/operator Jeffrey Pruett of West Monroe, Louisiana, for violations of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act.

The public water systems subject to these orders are the Love Estates Water System, Cottonland Mobile Home Estates Water System, Charmingdale Subdivision Water System, Pine Bayou Water System, Lakeview Estates Subdivision Water System, and the Suburban North Subdivision Water System, all in the Monroe, Louisiana, area.

“We rely on a safe and abundant water supply for the health of our families and our communities,” said EPA Regional Administrator Richard E. Greene. “Public water supply systems are the first line of defense in providing clean and safe drinking water. When those systems experience problems, immediate actions will be taken to return them to compliance.”

In July 2007, staff from the EPA Region 6 Public Water Supply Enforcement Team, along with staff from the Water Quality Protection Division and the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (LDHH), inspected these water systems. Numerous operations and maintenance violations were found requiring immediate compliance action. These violations included improper storage of chlorine gas, insufficient chlorine residuals, unplugged abandoned wells, lack of a source of emergency electrical power, and no site security, among others.

Based on these findings, the owners and operators of these public water supply systems have been ordered to immediately take action to bring the systems into compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act.