By Tiffany Flournoy
CULLEN, La. — Residents of Cullen have long complained about discolored, foul-smelling water—and state regulators may now validate some of their long-standing concerns after citing a leak and maintenance violations, though no contamination has been confirmed. A March 24 notice warned that a leak in the town’s elevated water tank could expose the system to potential contamination, the latest in a series of violations stretching back to 2025.
Weeks earlier, during a tense town hall meeting, residents described what they said was a system failing them.
“My water smells like doo-doo every day,” a resident told officials during a March 9 town hall meeting, describing persistent odor, discoloration, and rust buildup in sinks and tubs. Others said they were learning about boil advisories not from the town—but by word of mouth at church.
Former employees weigh in
Former Cullen water and wastewater employees with a combined 40 years of service say the problems are rooted in mismanagement.
Archie Jones, who spent 27 years at the town’s water and waste management department, Darren Givens, 10 years, and Charlie Oliver, 5 years and 7 months, told the Webster Parish Journal that the water smells because the system is not being flushed properly.
Jones said that during his tenure as supervisor, he had to hold multiple certifications and attend ongoing training and educational classes to maintain them. All three added, “We had to follow strict protocols to make sure water was safe. This isn’t how it used to be.”
A system under strain
In the March 24, 2026 notice, the Louisiana Department of Health cited Cullen for failing to maintain its water system after confirming a leak in the elevated tank’s influent piping. Regulators warned the issue must be corrected immediately to prevent potential bacteriological contamination.
But the leak represents just the latest point in a timeline of escalating concerns that residents have been raising for months.
As previously reported by the Webster Parish Journal, residents packed a town hall meeting to discuss repeated boil advisories, discolored water, foul odors, and what they described as a lack of clear communication from town leadership.
Warnings before the leak
“I didn’t even know there was a boil advisory until someone told me at church,” one resident said. “I don’t do Facebook.”
Town officials said boil advisory notices were posted on the town’s Facebook page, website, and shared with local television news stations, as required by law. Still, residents said the notices often failed to reach them.
“People shouldn’t have to find out by word of mouth,” another resident said.
Records and the town’s own website show the advisories have been ongoing. Cullen remained under a boil advisory even prior to the latest state violation, citing low water pressure. However, during the March 9 town hall meeting, Mayor Terry Hoof cited chlorine-related issues and said the town hoped the advisory would be lifted soon. As of March 27, the advisory remained in effect, according to Cullen’s website.
A pattern of noncompliance
State records show that the March 24 violation is only the most recent in a series regarding the towns drinking water matters:
February 3, 2026: Failure to distribute or certify public notices, including lead test results from 2025
February 23, 2026: Notice of Violation- Failure to Distribute and/or Certify Public Notice
December 30, 2025: Failure to produce and distribute the federally required Consumer Confidence Report for 2024.
November 14, 2025: Notice of Violation for Failure to Maintain Required Minimum Disinfectant Residual
March 17, 2025: The EPA cited the town for failing to complete its service line inventory, a required step to identify lead and other materials in the system.
Together, these violations point to a breakdown not just in infrastructure, but in communication and oversight.
Residents describe a town “falling apart”
Beyond water, residents reported deteriorating streets and culverts, overgrown properties, illegible street signs, a struggling police force, and gaps in municipal oversight.
Water remains at the center of concern, directly tied to public health. Residents questioned whether the town has properly certified operators managing the system and urged officials to consider bringing in qualified contractors to ensure safety.
Mayor Terry Hoof said discolored water should be reported so workers could investigate and noted that samples are collected daily and sent for testing. Outside assistance has been brought in, though no detailed corrective plan was presented during the meeting.
The cost of delay
Each violation carries a clear directive: correct the issue, document the fix, and notify the public. If an Administrative Order is issued and the town fails to comply, the Louisiana Department of Health/Office of Public Health letters state:
“Failure to comply with the terms of an Administrative Order may lead to penalties of up to $3,000 per day for each day of violation and for each act of violation in accordance with LAC Title 51, Part XII, Section 505 or any other remedies as allowed by law.”
Yet the recurrence of violations suggests the system is struggling to meet expectations consistently. The March 2026 notice underscores the vulnerability: a leaking water tank is a physical risk that could allow contamination if not promptly addressed.
A question of trust
For residents, the issue now extends beyond compliance—it’s about trust.
When advisories are missed, reports go undelivered, and violations repeat, residents are forced to navigate the system themselves. Some rely on neighbors. Others on church conversations. Many piece together information about something as fundamental as their drinking water.
As the state’s latest deadline approaches, Cullen officials face a familiar mandate: fix the system and prove it.
Video of leak may be viewed at https://youtube.com/shorts/A-ezcn4bwRk .
