The Department of Corrections (DOC) has rescinded a boil water advisory it issued last Thursday for Louisiana State Penitentiary. Over the weekend, contractors made repairs to the prison's water storage tanks and water tests were negative for bacteria, allowing the DOC to lift the advisory.
The DOC placed the prison under a boil water advisory after small leaks were found in the roofs of the prison's two water tanks. These leaks could have potentially been a passage way for contaminants. A boil water advisory is a precautionary measure issued by the water utility company to alert customers when there is a potential for compromised water quality.
The Louisiana Department of Health performs bacteria tests on Louisiana State Penitentiary's water samples twice a month for coliform and other contaminants. The most recent tests, over the weekend, were negative. In addition, the prison tests its water system daily for chlorine residual levels to ensure those levels meet or exceed state regulations. Chlorine residual in a water system helps to prevent bacterial growth in the lines. The results of the chlorine residual tests continue to be above the mandated standards. Over the past two years, the prison has not received any water quality violations from the Department of Health.
The recent boil water advisory at Louisiana State Penitentiary impacted the entire prison, including B-Line, the neighborhood where prison employees live. The prison is provided bottled water for inmates and employees who were on duty at the prison for the duration of the boil water advisory.