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Algal Bloom

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1. What is an alglal bloom?

An algal bloom or marine bloom is a rapid increase in the production of algae in an aquatic system. They may occur in freshwater as well as marine environments. Algae are considered to be blooming at concentrations of hundreds of thousands of cells per milliliter, depending on the causative species.

The colors observed are green, yellowish-brown, or red.

Bright green blooms may also occur. These are a result of blue-green algae which are actually bacteria (cyanobacteria).

2. Why does the City’s drinking water have a different taste and smell?

The change in taste and smell is caused by non-harmful byproducts of a naturally occurring algae bloom in our source water called geosmin and MIB (2-methylisoborneol).
The City of Shreveport receives its water from Cross Lake. Surface water is prone to algae blooms when there is warmth and sunlight.

3. What is Geosmin?

Geosmin is produced by several classes of microbes (including cyanobacteria, actinobacteria, and Streptomyces) and is released when these microbes die. Communities whose water supply depends on surface water like our city can periodically experience episodes of unpleasant tasting water when a sharp drop in the population of these bacteria releases geosmin into the local water supply. Under acidic conditions, geosmin decomposes into odorless substances.

4. How is Geosmin produced?

Geosmin is produced by several classes of microbes (including cyanobacteria, actinobacteria, and Streptomyces) and is released when these microbes die. Communities whose water supply depends on surface water like our city can periodically experience episodes of unpleasant tasting water when a sharp drop in the population of these bacteria releases geosmin into the local water supply. Under acidic conditions, geosmin decomposes into odorless substances.

5. Is City water safe to drink?

The City’s drinking water is safe and continues to meet or exceed all federal and state water quality standards. The taste and odor that results from geosmin and MIB is a palatability issue, not a health concern. City staff will continue to monitor and test the water.

6. What is the City of Shreveport doing in regard to this issue?

Operators at the T.L. Amiss Water Plant continue to treat the raw water and make it potable.

We have great water quality and are meeting or exceeding all federal and state water quality standards. If we receive a customer concern, we will meet them at their residence, take samples, and flush as needed until the customer is satisfied.

7. How long will the taste and odor last?

The algae bloom is a seasonal event. Since geosmin and MIB are naturally occurring, they will diminish in the water supply with time and weather changes. The temporary change is anticipated to last 5 to 7 days but could last longer depending on surface water temperatures and the weather.

8. How can the taste and odor be reduced at the tap?

To make the water taste better, try chilling it, adding ice cubes, a slice of lemon, or a few drops of lemon juice.

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Clean Water Shreveport

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1. What is the City doing with the Clean Water Shreveport project?

The Clean Water Shreveport project is an ambitious multi-year program of projects and initiatives designed to improve water quality and protect the safety and health of citizens by rebuilding and modernizing the sewer collection system and treatment facilities.

The City is undertaking a sewer infrastructure improvement program to eliminate Sanitary Sewer Overflows (SSOs). In addition, this program includes wastewater treatment plant modifications/upgrades in order to meet wastewater discharge regulatory requirements. We are making a major capital investment in our sewer infrastructure and wastewater treatment plants now, so that we can create a sustainable system that serves the health and safety needs of Shreveport residents and businesses, and protects water quality for years to come.

2. Why is the Clean Water Shreveport Project needed?

In order to help improve the quality of life for the residents of Shreveport and to comply with the Consent Decree that has been mandated by federal and state government.

3. What is a Consent Decree?

A Consent Decree is a legal document that formalizes an agreement reached between the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), the Louisiana State Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), and the City of Shreveport. The Consent Decree relates specifically to violations of the federal Clean Water Act within the sewer collection system and at the wastewater treatment plants.

4. What do Federal and State regulators require?

Shreveport has been cited by both federal and state governments for sanitary sewer overflows. The City of Shreveport negotiated the Consent Decree to avoid litigation and penalties. Shreveport is required to comply with repairs and upgrades over a 12-year schedule.

5. How much will these improvements cost?

The costs for these mandated improvements will be paid for by rate increases in Shreveport citizens’ water and sewer bills over a 10-year period.

6. What is a sanitary sewer?

A sanitary sewer is a series of pipes and pumps that carries waste to a treatment plant from toilets, sinks, showers, washing machines, or anything that sends water down a drain.

7. What is an SSO?

SSO stands for Sanitary Sewer Overflow. An SSO occurs when raw sewerage overflows or leaks from a sewer pipe before it has had a chance to be treated at a wastewater treatment facility. The overflow can occur at a pump station, a maintenance hole, a broken pipe, or a cleanout.

8. Why do sewers overflow?

Sewers can develop cracks and breaks, or become clogged by tree roots or grease. Sometimes an area’s population grows beyond the capacity of the sewer system. These problems can cause the sanitary sewers to overflow into waterways or even back up into basements.

9. Are SSOs harmful?

Direct contact with untreated sewage is definitely harmful, as human and animal wastes contain bacteria and other disease-causing pathogens. When untreated sewerage flows into local waterways, it degrades the quality of the water, harms aquatic life, and requires more expensive treatment to discharge an acceptable quality of effluent into local waterways.

10. How is Shreveport planning to eliminate SSOs?

Through an extensive rehabilitation of the sewer system, the City will repair or replace broken pipes and other drainage structures. In addition, improvements will also be made at treatment plants to ensure that they have the capacity to receive and treat all of the wastewater that flows into them and to meet discharge limits once treated.

11. What should I do if I see a sewer overflow?

Immediately call the City’s Department of Water and Sewerage at 318-673-7600. Staff will be deployed to investigate, clean, take samples, and work with the State’s Department of Environmental Quality to report and monitor the spill.

You should also take these precautions:

• Keep people away from the area of the overflow (typically a manhole). This is especially important for children and pets who may play near the overflow area (e.g., street, public park, or local streams, creeks, and rivers).
• Do not go near or touch the overflow. However, if you do happen to come in contact with the sewage overflow, wash your hands thoroughly in warm, soapy water before handling food or touching other persons or surfaces.

12. What can I do to help prevent SSOs?

Keep grease out of the sewers. Dispose of greasy and fatty foods, such as salad dressings, cooking oil, ice cream, and sauces, in your garbage can instead of your sink or garbage disposal. Direct your gutters to send water away from house foundations. Make sure there are strainers over all floor and sink drains in your home. Have the line that connects your house with the public sewer line (called a house lateral or private sewer line) inspected. 

Repairing broken private sewer lines, which is the homeowner's responsibility, can keep stormwater from leaking into pipes and prevent sewer backups in your home.

13. What is a private sewer line?

Your private sewer line is the underground sewer pipe that connects your plumbing to the public sewer system.

14. Does the City repair private sewer lines?

No, the City does not repair private sewer lines. Property owners are responsible for maintaining and repairing sewer pipes in their buildings and to the point of connection to the public sewer system.

15. What is the best way to maintain private sewer lines?

Help keep your private sewer lines in good working condition by avoiding planting trees, shrubs, or bushes on your property near the sewer lines. Roots from plants and trees can enter, block, and even cause damage to sewers.

16. How will my neighborhood be affected by this work?

Sanitary sewer rehabilitation can be disruptive to the neighborhood in the areas of the project work. The sewer system first has to be inspected through a variety of techniques that are part of a Sewer System Evaluation Survey (SSES). For example, the SSES might involve viewing the insides of the sewers using closed-circuit television (CCTV). To perform CCTV inspection, a robotic camera has to be lowered into a sewer manhole. The images are sent to a monitor located inside a large CCTV truck. Often, streets or lanes have to be closed to accommodate this activity. 

Rehabilitation activities might require the removal of parts of old sewer lines or the installation of new sewers alongside the old lines. While there are “trenchless” technologies that minimize the amount of digging required, you can still expect openings in streets and along curbs, along with large digging and hauling equipment, and heavy truck traffic. The City is committed to minimizing the disruption as much as possible, and we will communicate with residents, businesses, commuters, and other stakeholders to provide advance notice of heavy impacts.

17. What if I have questions not answered here?

Please call customer service at 318-673-6000 with additional questions.

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Customer Service

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1. Who may I contact to get assistance with paying my water bill?

• Caddo Community Action Agency: 318-861-4808
• Socialization Services: 318-671-5800

2. How many meters are read each month by the Department of Water and Sewerage?

Approximately 81,000. The meters are read manually by a Meter Reader.

3. How many water accounts does the Department of Water and Sewerage service?

Approximately 65,000. The amount varies each month depending on how many accounts are set up,

4. How is my monthly water bill calculated?

The monthly water service includes a customer charge and a usage charge. The customer charge will always appear on your water bill regardless of how much or how little water you use. It is the service charge that helps recover the cost of meter reading and maintaining the water distribution and wastewater collection systems. The water usage charge is for the amount of water you use during the month.

The wastewater usage charge for residential customers is based on an average of the amount of water you used during the previous winter months (AWC) or your current month's use, whichever is less.

The wastewater usage charge for non-residential customers is based on your current month's use.

5. What is wastewater?

Wastewater is the used water that goes down the drain in homes and businesses. The wastewater is collected in the City's wastewater collection system and treated at the Lucas or the North Regional Wastewater Plants.

6. What is Average Winter Consumption (AWC) and how is it calculated?

View the Average Winter Consumption page for details.

7. How can I manually monitor my water use?

Reading your water meter(s) regularly helps to identify any changes in your water use over time and can act as a trigger for maintenance. By taking meter readings on a regular basis, you can identify problems in water use without having to call a plumber.

• The best way to find out what the highest water-using device/activity is at your house is to perform a water-use audit.
• You can use a paper log of your meter readings to assist you with monitoring your water use. To help you understand your average daily water use, start off by taking meter readings at the same time each day over a period of one week. If you think your daily water use seems quite high, take more readings throughout the day and compare the differences.

Once you understand your normal water use patterns, change the reading frequency to every two weeks so you can keep a close eye on any intermittent problems which may occasionally pop up.

8. Why is drinking tap water better?

Tap water has it all over bottled water. 

• First, it's significantly cheaper, pennies per gallon as opposed to more than $1 per bottle. 
• Second, tap water undergoes more - and more extension - testing. Tap water is disinfected, filtered to remove pathogens, and tested for E. coli, fecal coliform, bacteria, cryptosporidium, giardia, viruses most synthetic organic chemicals. There is no requirement that bottled water be disinfected or filtered or that it be tested for those elements. 
• Third, less than 30% of water bottles are recycled. The rest end up on roadsides, in landfills, and in our lakes and river. 

It makes sense for financial, health, and environmental reasons to kick the bottle.

9. My blue recycling can has not been picked up. Who do I contact?

• Recycling Customer Service: 1-888-347-7288
• Public Works/Solid Waste: 318-673-6300

10. My green city garbage can has not been picked up. Who do I contact?

Public Works/Solid Waste: 318-673-6300

11. Where do I locate my water usage on my water bill?

On the top left-hand corner, there is a graph that illustrates usage. It shows how much was used this billing cycle, last month's billing cycle, and the usage a year ago.

12. What is the customer service number?

You may contact customer service at 318-673-5510.

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Customer Service - Meter Reading

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1. When will my meter be read?

The Department of Water & Sewerage has divided Shreveport into 19 geographical areas - - one for each working day of the month. Where you live determines the day your meter is read, the date your bill is mailed, and the date your payment is due.

2. How is my meter read?

To ensure that our customers are charged fairly, the Department of Water and Sewerage uses meters to measure water consumption. We routinely replace meters to ensure their accuracy. Your meter is read monthly by a trained meter reader who uses a handheld computer. The computer will reject any unusual reading that is out of normal usage pattern. This feature ensures that meters are read accurately. 

After the information on the handheld is entered into the mainframe computer, the meter reading is checked against narrower standards of your historical use (this is called a pre-bill audit). If the reading appears too high or too low, another meter reading will be taken before the bill is prepared. Even though we strive for perfection, on occasions a meter will be misread. If you ever have a question about your meter reading or your water bill, please call us at 318-673-5510. We will be happy to check it out for you.

3. How do I read my water meter?

First, you need to find your water meter. Generally, your water meter is located in the front of your property between the edge of the road pavement and your property line. It is housed in an in-ground meter box, which helps protect it from the elements. Carefully remove the lid by using a screwdriver or pliers. Visually examine the area around the meter to make sure there are no harmful insects or other animals. If you have a problem locating your meter, please call the Call Center at 318-673-5510 for assistance.

Second, your water meter has a set of dials, similar to the odometer of a car, that rotate as water passes through the meter, whether used or lost. With your back to the house, simply read the numbers from left to right to get a reading. Compare this reading to the "current" reading on the statement.

If your reading is not correct (high or low) on your current statement please call the Department of Water and Sewerage at 318-673-5510 as soon as possible to have your meter re-read.

4. Can I have my meter re-read and is there a charge?

Yes, you can have your service meter re-read if you believe that an error in reading has occurred. There is no charge to re-read your meter if the original reading is found to be incorrect. If the original reading is found to be correct, there will be a $20 charge for the re-read.

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Customer Service - Prevent Freezing Pipes

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1. How can I prevent my pipes from freezing?

• Disconnect all gardening hoses and install covers on all outside faucets.
• Keep your house temperature at 68 degrees or higher, even if you're leaving the house for an extended period of time.
• Open cabinet doors below sinks to allow heat from the home to circulate.
• Identify the location of the main water valve and the valve on your water heater. (Learning the location of these valves may come in handy during an emergency.)
• Wrap pipes nearest exterior walls and in crawl spaces with pipe insulation or heating tape. This can prevent freezing, especially for interior pipes that run along outside walls.
• Close all windows near water pipes; cover or close open-air vents. Freezing temperatures combined with wind drafts can cause pipes to freeze more frequently.
• Heat your basement and consider weather-sealing your windows.
• Insulate outside walls and unheated areas of your home.
• If you plan to be away from home for an extended period of time, shut off the water supply valves to your washing machine.

2. How do I monitor freezing pipe conditions?

• Allow a faucet to drip slightly (lukewarm water) in order to minimize freezing.
• The first sign of freezing is reduced water flow from a faucet.
• Check your faucets for water flow and pressure before you go to sleep and again when you wake up.
• Check pipes around your water meter, in unheated areas, near exterior walls, and in crawl spaces. These tend to be vulnerable to freezing conditions.
• Identify cold air drafts coming in from a flue or chimney chase and caulk gaps that are near pipes.

3. What can I do if my pipe freezes?

• If a faucet or pipe inside your house freezes, you can thaw it using a good hair dryer. (For safety purposes, avoid operating a hair dryer around standing water.)
• To thaw a frozen pipe, heat water on the stove, soak towels in the hot water and wrap them around cold sections of the pipes.
• When thawing a pipe, start thawing it nearest to the faucet. Make sure the faucet is turned on so that melted water can drip out.

4. What do I do if a pipe bursts?

• Shut off the water at the main valve. Call the Department of Water and Sewerage emergency line at 318-673-7600.
• If the break is in a hot water pipe, the valve on top of the water heater should be closed.
• Call a plumber. Keep an emergency number nearby for quick access.

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Customer Service - Tips for Saving Water

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1. What are some tips for saving water in the bathroom?

The bathroom is where you can make the most substantial reduction in personal water use. More than 50% of the water used in an average home is used in the bathroom.

Water-Saving Tips in the Bathroom

• Stop using the toilet as an ashtray or wastebasket. Every time you flush a cigarette butt, facial tissue, or other small bits of trash, you waste 5 to 7 gallons of water.
• Take shorter showers. Long, hot showers can waste 5 to 10 gallons every unneeded minute. Limit your showers to the time it takes to soap up, wash down, and rinse off.
• Reduce flushing water. Put an inch or two of sand or pebbles inside each of two plastic bottles to weigh them down. Fill them with water and put them in your toilet tank, safely away from operating mechanisms to reduce the fill amount.
• Install water-saving showerheads or flow restrictors. Your local hardware or plumbing supply store stocks inexpensive water-saving showerheads or restrictors that are easy to install.
• Take baths. A partially filled tub uses far less water than a long shower, but a short shower uses less than a full tub.
• When shaving and brushing your teeth, don't leave the water running. Run as much as you need, then turn off the tap until you need more.

Visit the Environmental Protection Agency's Start Saving page for more information.

2. What are some tips for saving water in the kitchen?

You can conserve water in your kitchen without sacrificing taste and cleanliness.

Water-Saving Tips in the Kitchen

• Automatic dishwashers claim the most water in kitchens - about 12 gallons per run. Make sure the washer is fully loaded before you turn it on.
• Don't rinse the dishes in the sink before you put them in the dishwasher. Scrape them clean and let the machine do the rest.
• If you wash dishes by hand, don't leave the water running for rinsing.
• Don't let the faucet run while you clean vegetables; Just rinse them in a stopped sink or a pan of clean water.
• Keep a bottle or pitcher of drinking water in the refrigerator. Running tap water to cool it off for drinking water is wasteful.

Visit the Environmental Protection Agency's Start Saving page for more information.

3. What are some tips for saving water while doing the laundry?

Many washing machines use 40 or more gallons of water per load, whether the washer is stuffed full or loaded with only a couple of socks.

Water-Saving Laundry Tips

• Save up for a full load and make your water work efficiently.
• Set your machine for a lesser load, if it can be adjusted.
• For hand laundering, put a stopper in the washtub for both washing and rinsing. Don't let the faucet run.

Visit the Environmental Protection Agency's Start Saving page for more information.

4. What are some tips for saving water outdoors?

Water-Saving Tips for Outdoors

• Water before 5:30 a.m. or after 6:00 p.m. and avoid watering on windy days. If you sprinkle your lawn under the hot midday sun, you will lose as much as 30% of your water to evaporation.
• Avoid sprinklers that spray a fine mist, which increases evaporation. Lawns can only absorb water so fast. It's better to water your lawn for three, 10-minute sessions (with each session 30 minutes apart) than it is to water steadily for 30 minutes and cause runoff.
• Water your lawn only when the grass does not spring back up when you step on it. Keep grass at least two inches high to shade roots and hold moisture.
• Plant drought-resistant trees and plants. Water trees slowly, deeply, and infrequently to encourage deep rooting.
• Aerate lawns regularly and put a layer of mulch around trees and plants to reduce evaporation and discourage weed growth. Weeds are water thieves, so keep the garden free of them.
• Keep track of how long you water. A kitchen timer is a handy reminder for turning off sprinklers.
• Make sure sprinklers cover just the lawn or garden, not sidewalks, driveways, and gutters.
• Use a spray nozzle with a cutoff handle on your hose so water doesn't flow continuously. Your garden hose can pour out 600 gallons or more in only a few hours. Thousands of gallons can be lost in a very short time.
• Check your hose connections often for leaks. Leaks outside the house may not seem as bad because they are not as visible. But, they can be just as wasteful as leaks inside.
• Don't run the hose while washing your car. Clean the car with a pail of soapy water. Use the hose just for rinsing.
• Use a broom or leaf blower, not a water hose, to clean driveways, sidewalks, and patios.

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Customer Service - Water Leaks

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1. How can I check to see if I have a private leak?

There are 2 methods you may check to see if you have a private leak.

• Method 1: Turn off all water taps inside and outside your home. Record the meter reading and return two to three hours later to check for movement. If the reading has changed or the dial needle has moved, you may have a private leak.
• Method 2: Many meters have a small red (or blue) triangle on the meter face, designed to detect even small leaks. If the red triangle is moving when you have all the water off inside and outside your home, you may have a private leak.

2. What are some commons sources of water leaks?

• A toilet that is running
• A constant drip in a sink or outdoor faucet
• A loose or dripping washer connection
• A home water treatment unit
• An evaporative cooling unit
• A sprinkler system

3. How do I check my toilet for leaks?

The Department of Water and Sewerage reminds its customers that toilet leaks waste hundreds of gallons of water each day.

The good news is that toilet leaks are easy to diagnose and fix. Simply put a few drops of food coloring in the tank and wait 10 to 15 minutes. If the water in the bowl is colored, you have a leak. Most toilet leaks are the result of deteriorated flappers and outflow tubes that are simple and inexpensive to repair.

Also, remember unnecessary flushes can waste up to five gallons of water per flush. Don't use your toilet for a trash can.

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Environmental Services - Pretreatment

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1. Why have industrial pretreatment?

Wastewater from industrial processes poses a significant threat to water quality and aquatic wildlife:

• Heavy metals and some organic chemicals which are contained in many industrial wastewater discharges are not neutralized or removed by the biological treatment process used at most municipal wastewater treatment plants, including Shreveport's two plants. Accordingly, chemicals and pollutants which are discharged to the City's sanitary sewer system can "pass through" the City's plants and be discharged into the Red River (or become entrained in sewage sludge, which presents disposal issues and prevents the sludge from being beneficially used).
• In addition, chemicals from industrial discharges pose a threat to the beneficial bacteria which are used at the City's plants for treating domestic sewage. Thus, untreated industrial discharges can actually result in improperly treated domestic sewage, and can result in significant repair and maintenance costs for the City.
• Finally, discharges high in oil and grease content can result in clogs and backups in the City's sewer collection system, causing potential overflows of sewage on the ground and damage to city lines and pumping equipment. Discharges from restaurants and other facilities with high grease levels in their waste product can cause these types of problems.

Proper "pretreatment" of a waste stream before it is discharged to the City's sanitary sewer system prevents these problems.

Currently, there are approximately 25 Significant Industrial Users (SIUs) which discharge industrial wastewater into Shreveport's sanitary sewer system. Numerous restaurants also discharge their greywater into the sanitary sewer system.

Each of these users has a permit issued by the City that allows the discharge, provided that certain requirements are met (including regular monitoring, reporting, and proper operation of the pretreatment system).

Main Objectives of the City's Pretreatment Program

• Protect the city's wastewater treatment plants
• Protect the health and safety of the workers at these facilities
• Protect the sewer collection system
• Prevent plant interference and pass through
• Prevent non-compliance with the terms of the City's wastewater discharge permits
• Protect receiving waters
• Enhance bio-solids reuse and water reclamation

2. How does the pretreatment program work?

Generally, industrial dischargers to the sanitary sewer system (including restaurants and food preparation facilities) must receive a permit from the City.

"Permitted" facilities are required to have tests run on their wastewater by independent labs at stated intervals and must report the results of the tests to the City.

The City of Shreveport Pretreatment staff visits the permitted businesses without warning from time to time to sample the wastewater being discharged. These samples are also tested to make sure the permit is not being violated.

The City's Pretreatment Staff is responsible for reporting monitoring results regularly to the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality.

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Environmental Services - Stormwater Section

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1. Who needs an industrial stormwater permit?

The State of Louisiana and the City of Shreveport now require certain industrial facilities that have Storm Water Associated With industrial activity to be covered by a permit.

The rules that define who needs a permit can be found at Title 33 Section 3241. B. 14. a-k. of the Louisiana Administrative Code.

The rules may appear somewhat complex and confusing; however, the list below is a simplified guide to assist you to determine if your facility needs a permit. The list uses "SIC" codes to determine if you may need a stormwater permit. If you do not know your facility's SIC code, the Standard Industrial Classification Index from the U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety & Health Administration can help you. Or, just call us at 673-6583 we'll be glad to assist.

• 1011 through 1499: Mining and mineral extraction
• 2011 through 3999: Manufacturing
• 4011 through 4581: Transportation
  • If the facility has vehicle maintenance shops, equipment cleaning operations, fueling, or airport de-icing operations.
• 5015: Automobile junkyards
• 5093: Metal scrap yards
• 5171: Petroleum bulk stations

Additionally, the following types of facilities are required to have stormwater permits:

• Hazardous waste treatment, storage, or disposal facilities.
• Landfills, land application sites, and open dumps.
• Steam electric power generating facilities, including coal handling sites.

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Water & Sewerage

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1. Why does my water have an odor?

There are several reasons why water has an odor or bad taste. During periods of dry weather, the waters in Cross Lake (our drinking water) have less oxygen and need to be aerated. The lines need to be flushed also to help the taste and odor.

2. How can I get a water leak repaired?

A water leak that is on the city's side of the meter can be reported to the 24-hour Emergency Dispatcher at 318-673-7600. The citizen is responsible for repairs on their side of the water meter.

3. Where is the Wastewater Treatment Plant located?

11301 E Kings Highway
Shreveport, LA 71115