KILLIAN, La. — Killian Mayor Caleb Atwell publicly called on Gov. Jeff Landry for help this week after a failed water filtration installation left residents without water for approximately 37 hours -- the latest chapter in the small Livingston Parish town's years-long water crisis.
In a letter posted to social media, Atwell said the town has fully complied with directives from GOHSEP, LDH, and the state-appointed contractor overseeing the court-ordered sale of Killian's water system to Magnolia Water. The letter acknowledged that Magnolia acquired a high-quality filtration system but said an unsuccessful installation attempt cut off residents' water supply.
Atwell said Magnolia has not answered several critical questions, including when a second installation attempt will be scheduled, what the plan is for the broader distribution system once the filter is in place, whether the company will provide bottled water during future outages, and what the full project timeline looks like.
The mayor also raised concerns about rate increases. Magnolia raised Killian's monthly water bill from $28 to $71. "It is difficult to ask our citizens for patience when their water quality remains unacceptable," Atwell wrote, noting the water often resembles what Sen. Bill Cassidy has described as "gumbo."
Landry responded quickly. In a follow-up post, Atwell thanked the governor for his "prompt outreach" and said Landry's staff is working to facilitate a meeting between the town and Magnolia Water. Atwell was careful to note that "Governor Landry bears no responsibility for the town's longstanding water issues."
The problems in Killian are not new. In 2023, the town received one of the state's lowest scores on Louisiana's drinking water grading system. The following year, Parish President Randy Delatte declared a state of emergency after the system failed. Atwell, who took office in July 2025, inherited the situation and has been navigating a court-ordered process that ultimately resulted in Magnolia Water purchasing the system in late 2024.
