without water in East Carroll, Madison parishes|[08/19/2008]

An estimated 1,275 customers of the Walnut Bayou Water System in northeast Louisiana who have been without water since early Sunday should see service restored within the next 36 hours, said water system secretary Pam Wells.

Water service to the customers who live in East Carroll and Madison parishes was cut off when a bridge on Louisiana 877 collapsed late Saturday night. Though the bridge was no longer open to traffic, the water system’s pipeline still ran alongside it. Wells said repairmen have been working day and night to replace about 800 feet of pipeline at the break.

“It’s been a real pain in the neck,” said customer Pat Gilfoil, who lives near the Madison Parish Port. “Some folks are using water from their swimming pools, some are staying in motels, some are staying at their camps at Lake Bruin and some are just toughing it out.”

Gilfoil said he and his wife have been filling up about three, five-gallon jugs of water for use at his home. “It’s just enough to flush the toilets, make coffee and brush our teeth,” he said, “and it’s getting kind of old. They’re saying maybe tomorrow, but I wouldn’t bet on it.” They have been taking showers at his daughter’s home in Tallulah.

Notices issued Monday advised customers in parts of Madison and East Carroll parishes to boil any water they might get out of their taps. Though areas east of Bayou Macon and north of Waverly were specified in press releases, customers in Mound and in southern East Carroll Parish have reported no water service since Sunday. Gilfoil also said the welcome center in Mound was closed due to the water outage.

The advisory is to remain in effect until test samples return from the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals’ Office of Public Health’s State Regional Laboratory.