Mamou water deemed safe by La. Public Heath officials

The water in Mamou is safe to drink, according to staff from the Louisiana Office of Public Health.
Jennifer Kihlken, deputy chief engineers with the Office of Public Health said, “This is a Tier II violation, so it was not an immediate health risk. However, you, as the consumer, have the right to know what the health effects could be from that.”
Earlier this month, residents and businesses in the town received letters of non-compliance from Town of Mamou Water System.
The letter stated that the water system is in violation of the state’s maximum level for total trihalomethanes, a disinfection byproduct. The letter also stated that some people who drink water containing THMs in excess of the level over many years may experience problems with their liver, kidneys or central nervous system and may have an increased risk of getting cancer.
Kihlken and several other staff members from DHH attended Wednesday’s Mamou Council meeting after residents voiced concern over the safety of the town’s water. She recommended that the town look into flushing the system more often and optimizing the process of treating the water.
“This has been cycling where it comes close (to the maximum level for THms) and then goes back and then comes close and then goes back,” Kihlken said.
The town water system is flushed each week, which helps with disinfection byproduct issue, and the town’s administration is looking into installing automatic flushers on the water system lines.
The town also has an application in with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to help fund a complete replacement of the town’s water system.
Other actions taken during the meeting were:
• Consider the adoption of Proposed Ordinance 10-2016 amending the Year 2016 budget to those amounts listed as “Amended to 152/31/16 Projected Actual Result at Year End” on the Year 2017 Budget document. Adoption approved unopposed.
• Consider the adoption of Proposed Ordinance 11-2016 approving/adopting a Year 2017 Budget of anticipated revenues and expenditures. Approved unanimously.
• Receive bid proposals for purchase/ removal of vacant building from Savoy Medical Center hospital grounds. Three sealed bids were accepted, and the highest bid of $6,000.00 was unanimously approved by the council.
• Introduction of proposed ordinance to rescind Town Ordinance 10.24.040 regarding parking in public rights of way. Approved unanimously.
• Appointment of Michael Fontenot to the Mamou Fire Protection District No. 1 Board. Approved unanimously.