ST. LANDRY PARISH, La. (KLFY) -- Residents of Sunset and the surrounding rural areas of St. Landry Parish are fed up with brown water. The two water suppliers for the area gave different reasons for their brown water.
In front of Sunset's Town Hall, you see a sign that proudly displays a $3 million grant from the Louisiana Department of Health specifically for water. Many residents, however, say they're not seeing the benefits of this money.
"I'm billed monthly for this water. I feel like the town should pay me to use this water," said Sunset resident Jeremy Williams.
Williams and his wife, Jamie, describe the water they pay for through the town of Sunset as embarrassing and disgusting.
"My kids have to take a bath in it," Jamie said.
The Williams said the water has been a problem since they moved to Sunset in 2019.
"In the last three years, Sunset gives you nothing but excuses when you question them about the water situation. All they have is one excuse after another," Jeremy said.
Sunset Mayor Charles James said the Sunset's water is safe to drink, per LDH. He said the brown color some people experience comes from sediment and a mineral called manganese that settles in the pipes and water tanks.
But James said this isn't a Sunset problem.
Dozens of other residents who live in Sunset's rural areas get their water from Waterworks District No. 2.
"I just turned on the water. It looks like coke," said one resident who pays Waterworks for water.
Pictures from residents who use Waterworks show the same problem with water, though Waterworks has a different explanation for the brown water their customers experience.
Their engineer said one of their water softeners is offline. It's causing the water's iron to oxidize, which in turn causes the discoloration of the water.
Waterworks said they're in the process of upgrading their water system's treatment and storage facilities. The utility company also said they are using the $3 million grant money to fund construction.
While customers wait for change, they're fed up. They question if anything is being done with the money.
"Quit making excuses and make progress. It's ridiculous. It's embarrassing. I'm tired of paying for a sub-par product. I'm paying you real money, and I expect real results. This isn't a third-world country. This is the United States of America. I should at least be entitled to clean drinking water," Jeremy said.
The Town of Sunset and Waterworks District No. 2, said their water is safe for human consumption.
St. Landry Parish Waterworks District No. 2 by eenfinger on Scribd
