Parish takes major steps to enhance sewerage infrastructure
"We are ready for the next 15-20 years"
St. John – The Council accepted the lowest bid on a $15,000,000 revenue bond which will finance the construction of a 2,000,000 gallon per day expansion at the LaPlace River road sewerage treatment plant and the repair or replacement of broken and cracked sewer pipes throughout the parish to reduce sewerage back-ups. The plant expansion is expected to cost $10,000,000 and the pipe replacement and repair will be funded by the remaining $5,000,000.
St. John's sewer system is currently operating near capacity in normal conditions and in rainfall events the sewer plant treats 30-40% more sewerage than it is built to handle. This large influx of sewerage is due to cracked sewer lines and manholes throughout the parish allowing rain water to enter the sewer system. By repairing or replacing the sewer lines and manholes throughout the parish, this influx of rain water into the sewer system will be greatly reduced.
In addition to the $15,000,000, the parish has been approved for $600,000 for sewer line and manhole repairs from the Louisiana Recovery Authority. In 2009, the parish applied for a $1,359,000 low interest loan for sewer line repairs and was approved for the loan. As a result of the various funding sources, nearly $7,000,000 will be invested in upgrading the sewer line infrastructure in St. John. Work is expected to begin late spring.
"This isn't a pipe-dream, the money exists, the will is there, and when we are finished ,St. John's sewer system will be ready for the next 15-20 years of growth," said Acting Parish President Pat McTopy.
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