FERRIDAY — A resolution passed Monday by the Ferriday Town Council will quicken the pace at which the town can address its water woes.

Ferriday Mayor Glen McGlothin said Monday’s declaration of public emergency will allow the town to eliminate the need to accept bids for 30 days for the installation of a new water tank.

With $250,000 recently awarded to the town through the Community Water Enrichment Fund, $200,000 of the town’s own money coupled with Monday’s declaration could have the new water tank installed before the end of the year, McGlothin said.

“This is going to help us tremendously,” McGlothin said after the meeting. “If we had to go through the bid process, we could be well into next year before the work got done.”

And the installation of the new tank is the first step in having the town removed from a mandatory boil-water issued May 12.

Alderman Jerome Harris said he felt the adoption of the resolution was a positive step for the town.

“We are doing this for the people,” Harris said after the meeting. “We have to do what’s best for the people of Ferriday.”

With the exception of Alderwoman Gloria Lloyd, who did not vote, the board passed the resolution unanimously.

And while McGlothin said the town is working as diligently as possible to rectify the situation, town residents still have concerns about the quality of the water.

One woman at Monday’s meeting, who said her grandchildren were getting rashes as a result of using the town’s water, said she and her family have resorted to rainwater they’re now collecting in barrels for their baths.

And still other residents questioned the quality of water their children would have to drink at the start of the new school year.

McGlothin said the National Guard will provide bottled drinking water for students.