SHREVEPORT, La. — A state-created task force met for the first time Wednesday to begin examining Shreveport's water system and develop recommendations after the city received an "F" grade from the Louisiana Department of Health for the second straight year.
 
The Clean Water Task Force was established under House Resolution 367, sponsored by state Rep. Joy Walters, following continued concerns over the city's water system. Shreveport has received failing grades from the Louisiana Department of Health for two consecutive years and has faced complaints about water discoloration, odor and cloudiness in recent years.
 
City officials, state lawmakers and water and public health experts gathered at Government Plaza to discuss the challenges facing the system and possible solutions.
 
"We've all been to school. We all know an F is not a good grade," said Tom Dark, Shreveport's chief administrative officer. "So we're trying to work our way up from there. I think you will see improvement there over the next few years."
 
Dark defended the city's drinking water quality, saying it meets federal Safe Drinking Water Act standards nearly all of the time.
 
"Our water meets almost all the time Safe Drinking Water Act requirements," Dark said. "When it doesn't, it's almost always trihalomethanes, which we think we've got a better handle on."
 
Trihalomethanes are chemical byproducts formed during the water disinfection process. Elevated levels can pose health risks over time.
 
Dark said the state's failing grade reflects more than water quality, pointing to aging infrastructure, sustainability concerns and customer complaints as factors that affect the score.
 
City officials also questioned the Louisiana Department of Health's grading system, arguing it does not adequately account for the size of larger water systems.
 
"We get dinged down a maximum of 10 points if we have as many as 10 complaints in a year," Dark said. "The same scale is used for the village of Gibsland, which might have a couple hundred customers."
 
Walters said the task force will help identify ways lawmakers can support improvements while ensuring future generations have access to reliable drinking water.
 
The task force is expected to meet over the next several months before submitting its findings and recommendations to the state by Nov. 18.

Originally published on ktbs.com, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange.

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