BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards has declared a water emergency involving an east-central Louisiana water system after finding out that the system's contracted operator is no longer running the system because it hasn't been paid.

  

The order involves the Clayton water system in Concordia Parish, which borders the Mississippi River in eastern central Louisiana.

  

Health officials say without an operator, the water would become undrinkable in less than 24 hours.

  

Edwards issued the emergency declaration Friday and directed the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness to forge an emergency contract with the operator, JCP Management, to "ensure ongoing operations and assure the customers of Clayton that they continue to have drinking water in their homes."

  

Edwards says the emergency contract will cost taxpayers more than $5,200 a month.