KILLIAN — Town officials in Killian went to work Wednesday to find what's causing problems in their water supply.

Dirt, sand and other sediment have worked their way into the system, leaving the one-well town without clean water. Residents said the color of their tap water varied the longer it ran. At one home last week, the water ran clear when the tap was turned on, but soon it turned brown, with dirt contaminating it.

In tests Wednesday, laborers removed the wellhead and inserted a camera in an effort to see the problem. It's possible that a screen may have failed, or there could be problems with lines running away from the reservoir.

"Hopefully, we'll find the resources, take care of the problem. Citizens will be happy with their water once again," said Dean Coates, the Livingston Parish Council member for the region. 

If a water system pressure drops too low, contaminants can enter the supply, posing a risk to residents. There's also a risk when re-establishing the proper pressure.

"We have filled up the storage tank to capacity and if the (pressure) on the water line gets below 15 psi, then when its regenerated it could bust the lines in several areas which could cause problems for the entire town not having water."

Volunteers have donated cases of water for the town's 1,221 residents to use. The water is available at Town Hall from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Killian's mayor and Livingston Parish President Randy Delatte have declared states of emergency.

"Everyone's ready to just find a solution and to move forward with clean water," Coates said. "We're in 2024. There's no reason anyone should be drinking brown water in this country."

Throughout the day, tanker trucks supplied water to the town's residents intermittently, a situation that will continue off-and-on into Thursday. A boil order remains in effect.

"DO NOT drink the water without boiling it first," the town said in a statement to residents.