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EPA Continues Enforcement of Drinking Water Rules in Northeast Louisiana

Release Date: 08/28/2007
Contact Information: Dave Bary or Tressa Tillman at 214-665-2200 or r6press@epa.gov

(Dallas, Texas -- August 28, 2007) In its continuing effort to ensure that the residents of northeast Louisiana have safe drinking water, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced it has issued an additional nine administrative orders to owner-operator Jeffrey Pruett of West Monroe, Louisiana.

The public water systems named in these orders are the Hancock Haven Water System, Ebeneezer Water System, Waterside Subdivision Water System, Taylor Water System, Spillway Estates Water System, Paradise Point Water System, Hillside Park Subdivision Water System, Richland Heights Water System, and the Mer Rouge Water System/Rankin Subdivision, all in the Monroe, Louisiana, area.

“These actions are a reminder to those who own and operate public water supply systems of their responsibility to provide clean and safe drinking water,” said EPA Regional Administrator Richard E. Greene. “When these systems fail to follow the rules and jeopardize public health, immediate actions will be taken to return them to compliance.”

In July 2007, staff from the EPA and the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (LDHH), inspected these water systems. They found numerous operations and maintenance violations requiring immediate compliance action. These violations included failure to provide written notice to LDHH confirming ownership, improper disinfection and use of improper disinfectant, lack of a backup source of potable water, lack of sanitary easement around wellheads, and no monthly reports of systems operations.

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.