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Story Archives: Stimulus money sought for western Ouachita sewer project


Stimulus money sought for western Ouachita sewer project
by Scott Rogers - posted Wednesday, April 8th, 2009 @ 11:27 pmE-mail Story E-mail Story | Print Story Print Story 
Lazenby & Associates applied for $2.8 million in federal stimulus money through the Department of Environmental Quality for a project to connect West Ouachita Sewer District No. 16 to West Ouachita Sewer District No. 5.

Lazenby & Associate's Kevin Crosby discussed the project with the Ouachita Parish Police Jury Monday during its regular meeting.

The main obstacle facing the parish in securing the stimulus money is time, Crosby said. All permits for the project would need to be secured and the engineering plans would need to be completed before stimulus grant money is awarded.

However, if the work cannot be completed before that deadline, the parish would still have possession of Lazenby & Associate's studies, which could be used if the police jury pursued funding otherwise for the project.

However, Crosby said Lazenby & Associates and the police jury would make every effort to meet the deadline for the stimulus funding.

"This is the best chance we've ever had of getting this done. It's been talked about for 20 years and now we have a chance to see it through," Crosby said. "It's too big of a project and too important of a project to sit there and not do something."

The $2.8 million in federal stimulus money would allow for roughly 6,100 feet of 24-inch gravity line along Steep Bayou to connect the lift station from the north side of Interstate 20 to New Natchitoches Road, which is located south of I-20.

Sewer lines and lift stations would be installed to connect Mallard Estates, Greenfield, Diamond Mobile Home Park and Acadian Park subdivision to Sewer District No. 5.

"This project takes it (effluent) to the regional plant that the city of West Monroe runs dually with West Ouachita Sewer District No. 5," Crosby said.

Lazenby & Associates recently was commissioned to conduct an inventory of No. 16's individual sewer systems to begin the project. That task was completed and information was presented to the police jury in December.

There are 25 total sewer systems in Sewer District No. 16, according to Lazenby & Associates. Of those, seven are owned by the police jury. They are operated by Greater Ouachita Water Company.

Parish officials want to turn Sewer District No. 16 into a single collection system similar to Sewer District No. 5.

The ultimate goal of the project is to eliminate the package treatment systems in No. 16 and have effluent transported through Sewer District No. 5 to the regional treatment plant owned by the city of West Monroe.

The project also could improve capacity concerns with Sewer District No. 5 and allow for more development outside No. 5, Crosby said.

The project also would aid local efforts to remove Graphic Packaging off the Sparta Aquifer, Crosby said.

That project involves ongoing efforts to remove Graphic Packaging from the Sparta Aquifer by allowing it to use wastewater in its production process.

Treated water would be pumped into Graphic Packaging's plant in West Monroe. Graphic would use the treated water to help mitigate the 10 million gallons of water per day the plant currently draws from the Sparta.

Because Sewer District No. 16 was operating at a deficit of roughly $50,000, the police jury agreed last year to raise No. 16's sewer rates from $22.50 to $30 to help eliminate some of the deficit. The police jurors serve as commissioners for Sewer District No. 16.

Police juror Charles Jackson said No. 16 was in a better position now thanks to the rate increases.

However, he said the police jury may have to adjust those rates again within the next year.
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