ALBANY — Portions of the Town of Albany are currently under a boil advisory due to low pressure in the Fourth Ward Water Works’ North Well system. The advisory was posted after some residents were complaining of dark ‘diarrhea-like’ water coming out of their taps.
Areas affected include north of Hwy. 442 along Hwy 43 to the parish line; Turkey Creek Road; Elbert Stewart Road; Horseshoe Road; Albin Road; and all side roads within the area.
Resident Anthony Sunde said he often has issues with the water at his home, and every couple months or so, the water will be a dark brown. Thursday night, he said his son was in the shower when he could smell a “strong, bleachy smell” and he decided to check the water.
They have a shower head filter because of the previous issues with the water. However, the water coming from the shower was clearly darker than it should be.
“It was just spraying brown rust water,” Sunde said. He took his kids to his mom’s house to bathe instead.
Sunde said he had yet to see any boil advisories or orders in place any the time his water had been discolored.
“I’ve never had an alert or been told or contacted, nothing. I’ve never seen it on a post or anything,” he said.
Sunde said his family has sensitive skin issues, but until more recently when they moved to their current home, they have not any issues. Sunde said he’s had dental fillings start falling out of his mouth and even his kids are having problems.
“Our dentist was like, ‘Y’all’s water is terrible’ and gave the kids fluoride tabs. They’re getting bad cavities. My wife’s never had a cavity a day in her life, and she has cavities. Now, her hair is falling out,” he explained.
He said they’ve also begun having issues with extra dry skin, things like acne, and stomach issues.
“It’s very concerning, and it might not be the water, but until I don’t see brown water coming out, you’re not going to convince me otherwise,” Sunde said.
Even when the water isn’t brown like it is right now, he said that the water always appears foggy and has strong chemical smells to it.
Lainey Carr, who has lived in the area over 10 years, lives near the St. Helena line and has relatively new water lines. She said her water gets a brownish tinge about once every three months. But at least once a year, it’ll turn dark brown, she said.
“I have lived in this community for 12 years, and I’ve never received a boil water advisory, and our water will be (the color of) diarrhea coming out of the faucet, and yet there’s no boil water advisory,” Carr told UWK.
She said on Thursday, Feb. 20th, her family noticed very brown water. By Friday morning, she said there was no water at all.
Carr is a mother to three young children, and she said she doesn’t allow her family to drink from the taps because of how bad it is. Even when it’s clear water, she said it will still smell like chlorine or sewage.
“My children need safe drinking water; even our dog gets bottled water,” Carr said.
The boil advisory will likely last through at least Monday. The Louisiana Dept. of Health required a minimum 18 hours for testing and given it’s a Friday, the advisory could last well into next week. UWK did reach out to the LDH, but as of this publication, did not get a response.
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