NATCHITOCHES, La. — The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) has released the 2025 water system grades for Natchitoches Parish, providing a comprehensive look at the quality and performance of local drinking water infrastructure.
The grading initiative was established under the Community Drinking Water Accountability Act (Act 98 of the 2021 Regular Session). This legislation authorizes the LDH Safe Drinking Water Program to issue letter grades based on seven key standards: Federal Water Quality, State Water Quality, Financial Sustainability, Operation and Maintenance, Infrastructure, Customer Satisfaction, and Secondary Contaminants such as iron and manganese.
The 2025 results show a significant performance gap across the parish, ranging from systems exceeding perfect scores to those receiving failing marks due to infrastructure and compliance issues.
2025 Natchitoches Parish Water System Rankings
The following table ranks parish water systems based on their LDH accountability score:
| Water System | Grade | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Sandy Point 480 Water System | A | 105% |
| Creston Water System | A | 98% |
| Goldonna Water System | A | 98% |
| Natchitoches Parish WWKS District 2 | A | 98% |
| Chee Chee Bay Water System | A | 98% |
| Campti Water System | B | 87% |
| Clarence Water System | B | 82% |
| Chestnut-Readhimer Water System | C | 77% |
| Powhatan Water System | C | 76% |
| Hagewood Water System | C | 73% |
| Bellwood Water System | D | 69% |
| Natchitoches Water System | F | 55% |
| Provencal Water System | F | 46% |
High Achievers and Bonus Credits
The Sandy Point 480 Water System achieved the highest marks in the parish with a 105% score. The system earned a perfect baseline and received five bonus points for its storage or well assessment and maintenance programs. Other top-tier systems, including Creston, Goldonna, Natchitoches Parish WWKS District 2, and Chee Chee Bay, all secured “A” grades with scores of 98%.
Critical Deficiencies in Municipal Systems
At the bottom of the rankings, the Provencal Water System and the Natchitoches Water System both received “F” grades.
The Provencal system faced the steepest challenges, losing 20 points for infrastructure deficiencies and 10 points for non-compliance with federal administrative orders. It also received deductions for secondary contaminants, specifically high levels of iron or manganese.
The Natchitoches Water System scored 55%, with maximum point deductions in infrastructure and customer satisfaction. Notably, the system lost 10 points for not having a certified water operator at the time of the state assessment.
Mid-Range Performance
Several systems fell into the “C” and “D” range. The Bellwood Water System (69%) was heavily penalized with a 30-point deduction for federal water quality violations. Meanwhile, Hagewood Water System (73%) saw its score drop due to a lack of financial sustainability, failing to submit an acceptable rate study or audit to the state.
The LDH uses these annual assessments to encourage local systems to address unresolved deficiencies, such as chlorine violations or infrastructure decay, to ensure long-term public health and safety.
You can visit the Community Drinking Water Reports: https://ldh.la.gov/bureau-of-engineering-services/watergrade
