ST. MARY PARISH — After months under recurring boil advisories, Franklin’s water system is undergoing a $2.4 million overhaul. Mayor Eugene Foulcard says the upgrades could be the turning point residents and business owners have long waited for.
“We’ve been fighting this good fight for some time—and the only way we can fight this is one bite out of the elephant at a time,” Foulcard said.
That bite comes in the form of a two-phase infrastructure rehabilitation project at Franklin’s water treatment plant. With phase one nearing completion this month, the city has already installed a new devices critical for monitoring water clarity every 15 minutes as required by state regulations.
“We’re taking care of our turbidity backwash pump, which helps us fight turbidity. We’re changing out our turbidity meters—which help us monitor and track the turbidity every 15 minutes—and we’ve cleaned out our transfer basin,” Foulcard explained.
The changes aim to address the core issue behind last year’s lengthy boil advisory: turbidity. High turbidity levels, left improperly monitored for two months, triggered the advisory in August 2024 and disrupted daily life across Franklin. At the height of the situation, many residents reported water that smelled strongly of chemicals and faced steep costs associated with boiling or buying safe drinking water.
Funding for the project came through a combination of state and local support. State Senator Robert Allain and Representative Vincent St. Blanc helped secure 75% of the funding through capital outlay dollars, while Franklin covered the remaining 25% using local tax revenue.
Miguel Velez, general manager of a local Sonic Drive-In, said the situation last year took a toll on business.
“I had to change water; I’m not with Franklin water supply no more—I’m with Charenton,” Velez said. “It’s the better water. You don’t have to deal with the boil water advisories. We were dropping sales when we had Franklin.”
Velez said he’s watching closely to see whether the city’s efforts restore confidence in its water quality.
“If Franklin does fix their water supply, then maybe something could happen—we may go back to them. But as of right now, we’re with Charenton and we’re gonna stay with Charenton,” he said.
Foulcard acknowledged the road to full recovery won’t be quick but remains confident in the progress being made.
“It didn’t get like this overnight—and we’re not gonna fix it overnight—but we’re very steadfast in fixing the problems,” he said.
Residents like Danielle Wiltz echoed the urgency for long-term improvements.
“Boiling water every time you have to take a bath or brush your teeth, wash your face—it’s not helping our community at all. So it’s time for a change,” said one Franklin resident.
Foulcard said phase one is nearly complete and already yielding results.
“The exceedances have become about nonexistent with the installation of the backwash pump and the new turbidity meters,” he said.
Phase two is expected to begin in early fall and focus on the installation of water valves throughout the city.
