Two Lake Charles communities voice concerns about water quality from same company
LAKE CHARLES, La. (KPLC) — Two different communities in Lake Charles are raising the same complaints about their water company, and it’s not the first time this company has faced scrutiny from 7News.
In December, 7News spoke with residents of a DeRidder neighborhood dealing with discolored water coming from their taps. The company serving them was Magnolia Water Company.
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Now, residents of Brigas Estates and more than 120 residents of Excelsior House Sober Living on Perry Lane in Lake Charles are raising identical concerns about water quality, sharing photos of brown, yellow, and black water.
Additionally, both communities recently spent multiple weekends without any water at all.
“You gone go a whole weekend. There’s six people in my house. I’m the house manager. I got six people, and everybody works. We got to buy water to cook; we got to buy water just so everybody can at least clean up cause you have no water to take a bath,” Shelby Bouley, House Manager at Excelsior House Sober Living, said.
Other residents say the water stains appliances, ruins clothing, and comes out with little to no pressure.
“I’ve run a comforter set, several shirts, white shirts, because the water comes out black and it stains it so fast to where before you realize that the water isn’t clean, it’s already got into the fabric, and it’s ruined,” resident Jason Manuel said.
Some residents also report skin irritation from the water.
“Yeah, it’s dry. My skin is dry,” resident Steven Fruge said.
Bouley echoed those concerns.
“Look, I’m breaking out on my face. I can’t shave with it. You know it’s crazy,” Bouley said.
Excelsior House Director Derek Duplechin says residents went more than two full days without water — forcing residents of both communities to stock up on bottled water for basic needs.
“With no water, you can’t wash dishes, you can’t cook or wash clothes, can’t shower, and no water pressure,” Fruge said.
In a statement to residents, Duplechin called the lack of communication from Magnolia Water Company “extremely frustrating and unacceptable,” noting that more than 120 residents were affected with no meaningful updates, no explanation, no estimated restoration timeline, and no outreach from the company. He also pointed out that even after water service was restored, no boil water advisory was issued by text, email, or any other form of communication.
Magnolia Water Company acknowledges there have been issues, saying a series of repairs to water lines over the past few weeks have disturbed sediment in the mains, leading to discoloration. The company says crews worked through the weekend to repair what they call a “significant” leak.
Magnolia also noted that work orders show flushing activity has been done on the lines in Brigas Estates, a process the company says stirs up accumulated sediment and can temporarily worsen water discoloration.
Magnolia has three water systems in the Lake Charles area. Brigas Estates received a “B” grade in the state’s latest water report cards. The other two both received “A” grades.
Magnolia responds to 7News
We reached out to Magnolia for answers and received the following responses:
Is Magnolia Water Company aware of water discoloration complaints from residents of Brigas Estates/Excelsior House in Lake Charles?
Yes, Magnolia is aware of recent reports regarding water discoloration in Brigas Estates (and the Excelsior subdivision off Perry Lane). We’ve been actively investigating the issue while responding to ongoing system repairs in the area.
What is the cause of the brown and yellow discoloration residents are experiencing?
Main and pipe breaks, as well as ground movement, can cause pressure fluctuations within a distribution system and temporarily disturb naturally occurring sediment that has accumulated in water mains over time, resulting in discolored water. Since late May, there have been a series of leaks and main repairs within the system, which we believe have contributed to the recent discoloration reports.
How many complaints has Magnolia Water Company received from Brigas Estates residents, and over what time period?
From June going back to January of this year, we have logged 6 water discoloration calls, and 14 low-pressurestate-approved calls from Brigas Estates customers.
What steps, if any, has Magnolia Water Company taken to address these complaints?
Crews have been actively responding to leaks and repairing damaged infrastructure throughout the system. Crews worked through the weekend and overnight on a significant leak repair and are currently on site addressing another leak. In addition to repairs, Magnolia continues to monitor system conditions and water quality as work progresses.
Has the water supplied to Brigas Estates been tested recently? If so, what were the results?
Yes. Magnolia routinely conducts water quality testing in accordance with regulatory requirements. Additionally, water quality sampling will be conducted in conjunction with the current repair work underway, and once samples are cleared by the state-approved lab, a Lift will be issued and customers notified. When system pressure drops below 20 psi, Magnolia issues a precautionary Boil Water Advisory as part of our standard safety protocols. Advisories are lifted only after repairs are completed, water samples are analyzed by a state-approved lab, and results confirm the absence of harmful bacteria. Customers are notified whenever an advisory is lifted, and this information is also posted on Magnolia’s website.
Does Magnolia Water Company consider the water currently being supplied to Brigas Estates safe for drinking, bathing, and laundering?
At this time, we are not aware of any indication that the water is unsafe. The system’s wells remain operational, and crews continue to monitor water quality and lab results as they become available. Out of an abundance of caution, Magnolia does issue Boil Water Advisories for low-pressure events as noted, and after restoration of service following an interruption — and again, as noted, water samples are tested each time, and a Lift is issued when results are clear.
What is the timeline for resolving this issue?
Magnolia’s immediate focus is repairing the active leaks, stabilizing system pressures, and restoring normal water quality conditions. While it is difficult to provide a definitive timeline until repairs are complete, we expect conditions to improve as the system returns to normal operation. It is also important to note that Magnolia stepped in as receiver for several distressed water systems in the Lake Charles area following Hurricanes Laura and Ida; at the time, it was understood that these systems had experienced years of deferred maintenance and associated legacy challenges, including sediment accumulation within portions of the distribution system. Magnolia undertook these systems with the understanding that rehabilitation would require sustained, long-term investment.
Since that time, Magnolia has continued to invest in repairs and remains committed to addressing both immediate operational issues and the underlying conditions that contribute to recurring service concerns. While ongoing ground shifts and repeated leaks can continue to affect system performance and water clarity, our crews remain focused on both near-term repairs and long-term improvements that enhance reliability for the community.