DHH to open water testing lab in Shreveport
The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals announced it is opening a water testing laboratory in Shreveport on Monday. The opening of this lab is expected to resolve delays in water testing experienced by water utilities in North Louisiana, which today must ship their water samples to the state’s central lab in Baton Rouge.
“The Office of Public Health is committed to continually improving the ways in which we keep the people of Louisiana safe and healthy,” said Beth Scalco, DHH interim assistant secretary for the Office of Public Health. “By opening the lab, we can help ensure that every public water system throughout the state can get its test results as quickly as possible.”
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The Shreveport lab will accept water samples from anywhere in the state, but is expected to primarily serve water systems in the Shreveport, Monroe and Alexandria regions (public health regions 6, 7 and 8). State officials say the lab has the capacity to potentially process up for 200 samples per day but expect the lab to average only about 50 tests a day during normal operations.
Dr. Jimmy Guidry, state health officer, said this new lab will be especially important to communities when they are under a boil water advisory. “Water systems must issue a boil water advisory whenever their system loses pressure. Older systems, such as the one in St. Joseph, LA, may experience numerous advisories. Having a lab that is closer means a community experiencing an advisory can get back their results more quickly and either rescind the advisory or take further corrective actions if test results indicate that they are needed,” Guidry explained.
Opening the Shreveport lab will cost an initial $18,300, but operating this lab is expected to save the State over $50,000 annually. The savings will stem primarily from no longer having to ship thousands of water samples tested by the lab each year from North Louisiana to the main lab in Baton Rouge and by reducing the reliance on private couriers for other shipments.
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The lab will be located on the third floor of the Caddo Parish Health Unit. Full details about how to contact the lab, its hours of operation and sample delivery protocols will be announced to water systems and others in the days leading up to the lab’s opening.
The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals strives to protect and promote health statewide and to ensure access to medical, preventive and rehabilitative services for all state residents.To learn more about DHH, visit www.dhh.louisiana.gov. For up-to-date health information, news and emergency updates, follow DHH's Twitter account and Facebook.