KILLIAN - In Livingston Parish, there’s a small town with a big water problem, and residents say for years they haven’t reached for a glass from their tap.

In Killian, residents say their water is discolored, smells like chemicals, and is undrinkable. Public records could reveal the depth of the town’s issues and the possible solutions. 

In 2023, Killian received one of the state’s lowest scores on the drinking water grading system. The next year, Livingston Parish President Randy Delatte declared a state of emergency after the water system failed. The emergency declaration said immediate assistance from the state was needed to minimize the effects of a disaster event. 

The parish tried ot help by paying to provide water trucks at a rate of $30,000 a day. The parish government placed nearly 100,000 gallons of water in the town’s reservoir, and eventually, residents were told to conserve their water use. But residents say they were left in the dark about what was actually wrong with the water system.

In January, the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness provided the town with a corrective action plan created by Waggoner Engineering. The report says high levels of iron and magnesium discolor the water, and chlorine is used to disinfect it. 

The report details the list of problems, outdated systems, a lack of inspections and cleaning, and meters that aren’t fully installed or used at every home. 

“Killian had two problems,” Mayor Caleb Atwell said. “They were charging a flat $27 a month, which didn't matter how much water you used. Killian was also very lax in its cutoff procedures.”

Atwell became Mayor in July 2025 and says he’s trying to follow the instructions GOHSEP has provided.

The most recent list of Killian utility customers shows water bills have stacked up. More than a dozen residents owe the town more than $100 for their utility bills. With so many homeowners not paying, the town is in the hole more than $3,000. 

“We sent some disconnect notices out like two or three weeks ago,” Atwell said. 

With meters not being installed correctly or used at every home, it’s hard to tell if the utility customer list is accurate, and it gives a full scope of who owes Killian money. 

If Killian were to fix everything GOHSEP insists needs to be fixed, it could cost millions, and the town’s annual budget is around $300,000. If they can’t afford it, GOHSEP recommends a merger and consolidation with another private utilities company. 

“At the end of the day, what we need to do is provide clean, affordable water to the citizens of Killian,” Atwell said.

The town is holding a council meeting on Tuesday evening at 6 p.m. at Killian's town hall.