Filter breaks at Ferriday water plant

Published 12:35 am Sunday, August 28, 2011

FERRIDAY — Ferriday residents are urged to conserve water as much as possible, as one of two remaining clarifiers blew out Saturday night at the Ferriday water plant.

Mayor Glen McGlothin said the other filter is barely hanging on itself, so he is asking all town residents to think before they go to the faucet.

“We can keep the water on, but people have to conserve it to the point of not using it,” McGlothin said.

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An emergency aldermen meeting has been scheduled for 9 a.m. today to address the issue, and an expert is coming to assess the filter.

“This water plant has been on its last leg, and now it’s really is on its last leg,” McGlothin said. “The clarifier actually clarifies all the gunk from the river, and if it goes out, you’ve got a terrible situation.”

McGlothin said he has been on the phone with JCP, the company that will soon take over the water plant and run the new one. They will send a representative to inspect and repair the clarifiers.

“It’s like a motor,” McGlothin said. “You have to break into a motor to find out what made it quit.”

McGlothin said he contacted state personnel to bring more water tanks today. He said he also requested emergency funds from the state.