FERRIDAY &8212;Ferriday is trying to maintain its water quality, Mayor Gene Allen said Thursday.

&8220;We have water that is as clean or cleaner than any in Concordia Parish, we just need to replace and update some equipment to keep it that way,&8221; Allen said.

A class action suit was filed against the town in July, 2001, after several citizens, business owners and employees were inconvenienced by a 124-day boil water notice from Aug. 20 to Dec. 22, 1999.

Allen said the town is advertising for a new water storage tank to replace the old 500,000-gallon tank at the town&8217;s water plant.

Allen said the town is also advertising for quotes to replace the three aerators at the town&8217;s wastewater treatment plant.

&8220;The aerators are in bad shape and need replacing,&8221; Allen said.

The system requires three aerators to function properly but Allen said only one and a half are in service.

Allen said Ferriday has in place a U.S. Department of Agriculture loan of $362,000 and a grant of $795,000 to address the water treatment issues, but is asking the state and federal governments to appropriate the money for the town.

Allen also said Ferriday now owes $460,000 to the USDA and $1.1 million to local banks from past loans to maintain the town&8217;s water system.