Shreveport's Water Quality Crisis: What Residents Should Know

Shreveport leaders are putting together a plan to deal with poor water quality in the community.

The city of Shreveport has once again scored at the bottom of the heap for its water system. The city scores 45 out of 100 which is an "F" , according to the Louisiana Department of Health.

Mayor Tom Arceneaux pledges that the water in Shreveport is safe to drink. He says work is being done to improve the system, but it takes time. He does challenge some of the deductions in the report and he's urging the health department to take another look at the scores.

The Mayor says "we have been aggressive in addressing these problems. We are not satisfied with this grade, but we are confident in the direction we are headed."

What Are the Problems with Shreveport Water?

The report shows the city has major deductions tied to federal violations and infrastructure problems that could lead to unsafe water or service disruptions if left uncorrected.

Shreveport had a major water main break earlier this year that left many without water for a few days.

You can check out the state reports here:

What Is Water Graded on by the State?

The Department of Health evaluates systems based on seven standards, including infrastructure, compliance, and overall public health risk.

Shreveport’s poor grade is not a surprise. Some of the same problems have popped up in several reports. The city has been working on upgrades, but the system continues to have issues which raises concerns about deeper structural problems.

Shreveport also got an "F" last year, but appealed to the state and the grade was revised to a "D" when the city challenged the calculations.

What Local Cities Earned "A" Scores

Bossier City
Town of Benton
Haughton
Vivian
Logansport
Minden
Arcadia
Town of Many
Zwolle

In fact, all water systems managed by Bossier Parish officials received A ratings in the most recent evaluation, underscoring the stark contrast with Shreveport’s performance.