St. Joe, Waterproof & Enterprise water tested for bacterial contamination

UPDATE: 8/4/17 10:15 pm

People in Enterprise, Louisiana are desperate for a solution to their water problem.

"This is not a finger pointing thing," John Tiser said. "This is not a blame game. This is just trying to find a solution to the problem so we can get clean water."

But Friday, they could do nothing but watch, as experts from Tulane University came back to test their water for the second time in four months. The first tests came back in April, and the results were revealed last week. They showed fecal bacteria in the water system. The news has had people like Tiser worried about his family.

"I've got a 15-year-old and a nine-year-old that are in desperate need of clean water," Tiser said.

Tiser's lucky though, he pays for filters in his home. But when he turns them off, the water turns chocolate brown, a color H.C. Lewis says has come out of his faucet for years.

"It's like we're a third-world country," Lewis said.

And, it's not just Enterprise. The Tulane group stopped to test in Waterproof and St. Joe - two other towns with their share of water problems.

"It was never like this when I was younger," Trevor Bates said. "It just became like this when I got older."

"This water may have hurt people, gravely hurt people," Samuel Johnson said.

That's why it was tested today. But, Tiser hopes this time it can spark change..

"That's going to speak volumes and reach a lot of people, and hopefully someone will step up to the plate and do something," Tiser said.

Do something, before things get worse.

ORIGINAL STORY: 8/4/17 6:15 pm

St. Joe, Waterproof & Enterprise water was tested Friday for bacterial contamination, less than two weeks after reports showed a few homes in Enterprise have fecal bacteria in their water.

"Maybe I shouldn't say this, but I tell the truth. This should have been taken care of years ago," says St. Joseph resident Samuel Johnson, whose water was tested by Tulane University students.

Tulane is partnering with The Council on Policy and Social Impact to provide free water testing in the three small towns.

Unlike in April, Tulane's team did not test for mineral contamination like lead and copper - they are looking for bacteria only found in humans.

Johnson says St. Joe's progression from brown water, to lead contamination... and now, possible contamination of fecal bacteria, isn't something anyone should have to live with.

"This water may have hurt people, gravely hurt people. That's not for me to say, I'm not a doctor, not that type of doctor. But the water is not safe. It's not safe."

Tulane's team says the preliminary results of the water testing should be ready in about a week. It may take a few months to get back results revealing major issues like the contamination of a brain-eating amoeba.