UPDATE 6/25/24: Progress continues in our efforts to address the discoloration caused by
manganese in our water supply. As of this afternoon, some areas still experiencing discolored
water are showing improvement. Thanks to our continuous water sampling and adjustments in
treatment methods, manganese levels are steadily decreasing. Our flushing efforts are ongoing. If
you are still seeing discoloration in your water, please give us a call at 318-673-7600 to request
a flush for your area, or you can submit a request through Q-alert. (https://
http://www.shreveportla.gov/2786/Report-A-Concern)
The City of Shreveport’s Department of Water and Sewerage continues to address recent water quality concerns following a series of heavy rain events that have significantly impacted our source water. We acknowledge that some of our customers are still experiencing off-color water from their taps.
Our scientists and engineers have been working around the clock for the last week and a half to combat its impact on our water system. Our treatment process is effective, but it’s taking longer to get through our system than we hoped. The mineral levels causing the issue have been going down each day, and we are making changes to our treatment method daily to account for the decreased levels.
The suspected cause of the discoloration is historically high levels of dissolvable Manganese in Cross Lake. Manganese is a relatively common and naturally occurring mineral. However, dissolvable manganese in our lake water is a highly unusual occurrence. There are multiple possibilities for the increase: naturally occurring lake temperature inversion due to hotter than normal summertime temperatures, rainwater washing in dirt from construction sites, and the recent heavy rains could have washed dirt containing manganese into the lake.
While it can cause water to appear yellow or light green, there is no need to boil water at this time. Despite the yellow appearance, the water is not dirty and is perfectly safe to drink. We will continue to monitor and adjust the treatment as needed. Customers should already be seeing a noticeable improvement. However, we know not everyone’s water is back to normal. We are continuing our treatment methods and flushing our pipes.
We understand the inconvenience this is causing and appreciate the community’s patience and understanding as we work to resolve this issue as quickly as possible.
For any questions or concerns, customers are encouraged to contact our 24-hour customer service hotline at 318-673-7600 or visit our website at http://www.shreveportlawater.gov/ for updates.