Living in Branch, LA: what to set up and who to call
Savoy Swords Water System Inc reported 2 health-based violations to EPA in the last five years: a groundwater treatment requirement (Groundwater Rule) ×2. 80% of systems its size reported none. Branch has no town government of its own, so Acadia Parish runs its elections and most services, and its children attend Acadia Parish School District.
I’m new in town
What to set up in Branch, and who provides it. Tap an answer for the details and where they come from.
Power, water and internet
Who to call to start service at a new address in Branch.
Power comes from Southwest Louisiana E M C
Southwest Louisiana E M C (Southwest Louisiana E M C), a cooperative utility, serves all of Branch. Its homes paid an average of 11.6¢ per kWh in 2025, about $162 a month (its average across Louisiana).
Service territory: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map dated Aug 2023). Prices and customers: EIA-861, 2025.
Water comes from Savoy Swords Water System Inc
Savoy Swords Water System Inc supplies Branch: about 2% of residents live in its service area. About 98% of homes are outside any mapped community water system, most likely on private wells, which EPA doesn’t regulate. It draws ground water (EPA lists Chataignier Water System and Lawtell Water Works District No 1 and Mamou Road Water District, Inc as sellers) and serves 7,326 people in all.
2 health-based violations reported to EPA in the five years to October 2026: a groundwater treatment requirement (Groundwater Rule) ×2, the latest beginning Apr 2025. 80% of the 5,012 systems serving 3,301–10,000 people had none.
The latest lead result on file, the 90th percentile of homes sampled in Jan 2024–Dec 2026, was 2.0 ppb, below the 15 ppb action level that applied. That’s higher than 67% of similar systems’ latest results.
The system’s full record: EPA ECHO report
EPA SDWIS via Envirofacts (violations pulled Oct 9, 2026) and ECHO (lead samples, 2026Q3); service area: EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3.0 (EPA’s estimate). Violations are counted by the start of their compliance period. LA1097024.
5 home internet providers serve Branch
87% of 187 addresses can get 100/20 Mbps; 1% can get fiber.
| Provider | Technology | Addresses | Fastest (Mbps) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spectrum | Cable, Fiber | 68% | 1,000/1,000 |
| Verizon | Fixed wireless | 81% | 300/20 |
| AT&T | Fixed wireless | 59% | 25/3 |
| T-Mobile | Fixed wireless | 6% | 25/3 |
| REACH4 Communications | Fixed wireless | 4% | 10/1 |
FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025. Availability as providers report it, not speeds people get.
We don’t have Branch’s trash rules yet
Pickup rules, the dump and recycling in Branch.
Where your child goes to school
Public school districts and the school path by grade.
Branch is in Acadia Parish School District.
Test scores and every school: see Schools →U.S. Department of Education, NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25. Enrollment rules and registration are the district’s.
No town hall: the county runs things
Branch is unincorporated, so Acadia Parish is the local government.
Election office: FVAP local election office directory, updated Aug 2015; jurisdictions: EAC EAVS 2024. Registration rules and links: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
Branch is in ZIP code 70516
ZIP codes where Branch residents live, with the share of the town in each.
| ZIP | Post office name | Share of Branch | ZIP’s residents in Branch |
|---|---|---|---|
| 70516 | Branch, LA | 100% | 27% |
Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, by census block; post office names: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). ZIPs created since 2020 are missing.
Getting around, the ER and the library
One line each; the subject pages have the rest.
ER: CMS hospital data. Library: IMLS Public Libraries Survey, FY2024.
Questions about living in Branch
Who supplies Branch’s drinking water, and has it had violations?
Savoy Swords Water System Inc (EPA ID LA1097024). It reported 2 health-based violations to EPA in the five years to October 2026: a groundwater treatment requirement (Groundwater Rule) ×2. 80% of systems its size had none. Its latest lead 90th percentile was 2.0 ppb (Jan 2024–Dec 2026), against a 15 ppb action level.
Who provides electricity in Branch?
Southwest Louisiana E M C (Southwest Louisiana E M C), a cooperative utility. Its homes paid about 11.6¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA).
What internet providers serve Branch?
Spectrum, Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, REACH4 Communications (FCC, as of December 2025).
What ZIP codes are in Branch?
70516. Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.
What school district is Branch in?
Acadia Parish School District.
How do I register to vote in Branch?
In Louisiana you can register online until 20 days before Election Day, in person until 30 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 30 days before). Elections here are run by the Acadia Parish Registrar of Voters. Check your registration at voterportal.sos.la.gov.
Sources & dates
Every answer above names its source. Here they are with their dates.
- Water: EPA SDWIS (Envirofacts, pulled Oct 9, 2026), ECHO SDWA 2026Q3, EPA CWS Service Area Boundaries v3.0.
- Power: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map Aug 2023); EIA-861 final 2025.
- Trash: OpenStreetMap, Geofabrik extract of Oct 9, 2026. © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
- ZIP codes: Census 2020 ZCTA relationship files; GeoNames postal codes (CC BY 4.0).
- Schools: NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25.
- Registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026 (read Oct 10, 2026). Official sites and area codes: Wikidata.
- Election office: FVAP local election office directory (fetched Oct 10, 2026; each record dated), EAC EAVS 2024 jurisdictions; registration and lookup links from vote.gov’s state data, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- Internet: FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025.