[StBernard] EPA orders public water supply systems in northeast Louisiana into compliance

[Westley Annis]

 (Dallas, Texas - August 10, 2007)  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.

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