SUNSET — Residents of Sunset are demanding answers regarding the discolored and murky water flowing through their taps.
"We don't drink it, and sometimes we don't even bathe in it," said Todd Broussard, a resident of Sunset.
The situation has left residents feeling frustrated.
"It looks like sewage water, and there's no nice way to say it. It looks like someone used the bathroom, and it's being pumped through the faucet. It's frustrating and disgusting," said Jeremy Williams.
Both Broussard and Williams have lived in Sunset for several years. Fed up with the issue, Broussard spent $6,000 on a filtration system to remove the contaminants causing the discoloration.
"I have a filtration system, and it does an okay job, but it's not 100 percent effective. It takes a while to clear up the water," said Broussard.
"This is not a third-world country. I should be able to have clean water to drink, wash clothes, and let my kids take a bath. They don’t even want to bathe in that water, and I don’t blame them," said Williams.
To get answers, KATC contacted Charles James, the Mayor of Sunset. He took us on a tour of the new water treatment plant, including an infiltration system designed to flush out manganese and iron sediments from the water.
"This is what's going to solve most of the issues with the brown water—if not all of them. It will clear up 80 to 90 percent of our water," said James.
He also showed us the new water well. The infiltration system and the well are part of a $3 million water upgrade project funded by the Louisiana Department of Health’s Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund (DWRLF) Program.
"In order to clear up the water, we need a process that removes what naturally occurs in the ground," said James.
The mayor says the new water well is expected to be operational by the end of December, and the entire project should be completed sometime next year.
