KILLIAN — The Magnolia Water Company has finished installing and bringing a new water filtration system online for the residents of Killian, according to town officials. The work was set to start on May 11 and officials reported the completion on Wednesday, May 13.
“This marks the largest capital improvement to the water system since the well and system were originally brought online in the 90’s,” Mayor Caleb Atwell reported in a Facebook post.
Magnolia will continue to regularly flush the system to remove accumulated iron and manganese in the pipes, which are often the cause for discolored water according to LDH. Residents should flush their hot water heaters, as well.
Around May 1, Magnolia began a comprehensive analysis of the entire system, per Mayor Atwell. Residents are encouraged to report water discoloration and service issues to Magnolia Water Customer Support to help with this analysis.
MORE: Department of Health responds to Killian discolored water concerns
Completed manifold (source: Town of Killian Facebook)
Filtration system today (source: Town of Killian Facebook)
Previous update April 27
In two weeks, Magnolia Water Company could begin installing a new filtration system for residents in Killian who have been facing water struggles for years now. That’s set to start on May 11, weather and other circumstances permitting.
In the latest step toward that installation, Magnolia received a delivery of two 8,000-gallon holding tanks. These tanks will be part of the new filtration system.
Town officials are asking Magnolia’s customers to send in photos (with timestamps if possible) of their cold water to the town’s Facebook page.
“If it looks like Gumbo, we want to see it. If it looks like it came out of a pristine mountain creek, we want to see it.”
In addition, officials are asking Killian residents on Magnolia water to reach out to the following to report service or water quality concerns:.
Magnolia Water Customer Support:
• Phone: 1-855-643-8152
• Email: support@magnoliawateruoc.com
Public Safety Concerns (LDH – Hammond Office):
• Phone: 225-342-7363
Louisiana Public Service Commission (Primary regulator for rate setting, service adequacy, and infrastructure investment):
• Phone: 225-342-4404 or 225-342-4999 OR Toll-Free: 800-256-2397
Magnolia has yet to respond to UWK‘s inquiries on the water situation and plans.
Previous update April 22, 2026
KILLIAN — Killian’s water company Magnolia has started work on the system’s piping and manifold installation, in preparation for a filtration system that will be installed around May 11th.
Magnolia posted on social media that there would be a scheduled outage on Tuesday, April 21st, due to installation of the filter’s piping/manifold on April 21st at 9 a.m. The company shared that it would be providing bottled water for residents at Killian’s town hall.
Later on April 21st, the Town of Killian posted on social media that Magnolia had completed the improvement by 11:30 a.m. “This is a huge accomplishment as it includes bypass valves that will allow further installation work to be done without service interruptions. I am very appreciative of the work they accomplished today,” the post said.
Killian resident and United Cajun Navy Incident Commander Josh Gill provided new photos of the water in his home, both taken after Magnolia finished its work on April 21st.
“As you can clearly see, the current water quality is unacceptable. It is not safe, not usable, and not something any family should be expected to rely on,” Gill told UWK.
Gill previously expressed his frustration and concern about Magnolia’s lack of clear communication and the wait until May 11th for work to start on a new filtration system. Following the work from Magnolia this week, he said the following:
I appreciate the Killian administration for meeting with Magnolia and the Governor’s Office to get answers. They are doing all they can and are fighting as best as they can.
However, Magnolia waiting until May 11th to attempt a reinstall is a long time for residents who are dealing with unusable water every single day.
Magnolia providing limited bottled water during outages is a start—but it is not a solution.
And when bottled water runs out, it becomes another failure point. Many residents work during distribution hours and cannot make it. Others don’t have reliable transportation. Access should not depend on availability or convenience.
(Our) current water quality is unacceptable. It is not safe, not usable, and not something any family should be expected to rely on.
We are paying for a service that is inconsistent at best—and at times completely unusable.
It is unconscionable to expect residents to drink, cook with, or bathe in this water.
I am asking that the Public Service Commission and our elected officials take immediate action and apply pressure to ensure the citizens of Killian have access to clean, safe drinking water—without delay.
We are not asking for perfection—we are demanding the basic necessity of clean, safe drinking water.
The people of Killian deserve better.
UWK reached out to CSWR/Magnolia for comment and clarification of its plans. At the time of this update, the provider has not responded.
UWK has also reached out to Gov. Landry’s office and the Louisiana Department of Health for further comments, but neither office has responded at the time of publication.
Original story April 18, 2026
For years now, Killian residents have had to put up with and find solutions to an ongoing water crisis. Several months into a new water system owner, the town’s mayor, along with its residents, are demanding answers and communication.
UWK has covered Killian’s water woes since January 2023, speaking with frustrated and angry residents who said their water often appeared dirty and raised health concerns. At times, people have been afraid to use the water to even bathe in.
The town sold its previous water system, and as of Dec. 29, 2025, Magnolia Water Company is now Killian’s water system owner and provider.
Killian resident and United Cajun Navy Incident Commander Josh Gill told UWK that aside from the terrible water quality, he feels Magnolia has not worked to provide residents with any updates on correcting the system’s issues or made itself available to the people.
Killian Mayor Caleb Atwell posted on social media on April 9, calling for Gov. Jeff Landry to step in and help the town with getting answers from the water company:
“While we understand these improvements take time, Magnolia has already increased resident rates from $28 to $71 per month. It is difficult to ask our citizens for patience when their water quality remains unacceptable—often resembling something worse than what Senator Cassidy has described as “gumbo”—despite paying significantly higher rates,” Atwell wrote in part.
Atwell later updated that he met with Magnolia representatives, the Governor’s Office, and other elected officials on Thursday, April 16. He shared that Magnolia had fully answered all of his questions.
One of the questions the mayor initially posed, asked for a definitive timeline for fully upgrading Killian’s water system. He shared the response: “There is no definitive schedule for the upgrade of the Killian water system, nor will any upgrades be scheduled until the comprehensive system evaluation has been completed.”
Gill said early this year, the company initially discussed bringing in phosphates to help bind manganese to the pipes and then a water filter system. The filter system took several weeks to install, he said.
“I don’t think the filter system is working. It’s just been problem after problem,” Gill said.
In his post to social media, Mayor Atwell said that Magnolia will make a second attempt to install the filtration system around May 11, weather and circumstances permitting.
As for the company’s plans to address the poor quality, “The short-term plan is to perform a comprehensive evaluation of the existing distribution system. The long-term plan is to repair and/or replace portions of the system as required.”
Gill, however, is not thrilled. “I am absolutely disgusted at the outcome of the meeting.”
Showing photos of his own dirty running water, he said that May 11 is too long to wait for a potential solution when residents have already been waiting months.
Killian water-Josh Gill
Killian water-Josh Gill
“Something needs to happen sooner rather than later, because our community is aging. I mean, a lot of these people can’t take their medicine and they’re having to go buy bottled water. There are actually some people here that it’s changed their quality of life.”
“I mean, there’s single parents with two kids and their water is horrible. They can’t wash clothes, can’t take a bath. You can’t cook with the water. You can’t drink the water.”
When people do wash their clothes, Gill said the dirty water discolors and stains clothing, resembling self tanner on white shirts.
While Gill said he and the United Cajun Navy have discussed providing water for the people of Killian because “you’ve gotta have clean water.” With estimates of needing three liters of water per person every day, Gill said the burden is wearing on the residents.
“It’s ultimately causing a huge financial burden as well, because people can’t afford the drive, and the bottled water is getting expensive,” Gill added. “I live here; my water has never been this bad,” Gill said. “It’s absolutely disgusting.”
To further illustrate his point, Gill said Killian’s “dark, dirty” water is exceptionally bad: “My role with the United Cajun Navy puts me all over the country, all over the world. And actually, this is one of the worst water issues I’ve ever seen.”
MORE: Business offers discount on private wells amid Killian water crisis
MORE: Testing underway after ‘unprecedented water crisis’ in Killian
In January, a St. Amant-area business owner offered steep discounts and payment plans to the residents of Killian as an answer to some of the water issues. When he spoke to UWK, Dustin Clouatre with Squirters Drilling & Water Wells had scheduled around 30 water wells to drill in the Killian area.
“If you boil brown water, it’s now boiled brown water,” Clouatre said. “For lack of better words, those poor people are in a pickle.”
Clouatre added that he believes the system’s main well may not be the primary source of the issue.
“I think it’s the feeder lines,” he said. “You can test the water right at the well, and if I open the spigot right by the well, we got clean water. But two miles down, it’s brown from the lines.”
Gill said he’s grateful for Clouatre and his business for offering help to Killian’s homeowners, but that the town needs to work together to resolve the issues as a team. He issued the following statement:
“There is a clear and ongoing issue with the quality of our water. This is not a minor inconvenience — it is visibly discolored, contains sediment, and is not something residents should reasonably be expected to consume or use. We are being told that Magnolia now owns the system. Ownership comes with responsibility — including providing safe, reliable drinking water. At this point, the lack of urgency, the extended delays in corrective action, and the continued condition of the water are unacceptable. This is impacting our health, our homes, and the reputation of our community. The citizens deserve clear answers, a defined timeline, and immediate corrective measures — not continued assurances while the problem persists.”
UWK has reached out to CSWR/Magnolia for comment and clarification of any plans in place. At the time of publication, the provider has not responded.
UWK also reached out to Gov. Jeff’s Landry’s office about the meeting with Atwell and Magnolia, but has not received a response.
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