LEONARD GRAY / L’Observateur / August 2, 2000

HAHNVILLE – A committee of the St. Charles Parish Council heard updates onthe regional wastewater treatment plants at a meeting Monday night and also heard citizens’ complaints about an eroding canal.

In addition, developer Joey Murray declared he owns the canal alongside the new Eckerd Drug Store at Ormond Boulevard and Airline Drive and is responsible for the canal’s condition.

The Operations, Maintenance and Construction Management Committee, chaired by Councilman G. “Ram” Ramchandran, heard first from Rick Shreadof Shread-Kuyrkendall on the west bank hurricane protection levee permit process.

Shread reported that the state Department of Natural Resources had to sign off on the application to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and once theDNR’s wetlands valuation assessment is complete, a permit should be issued in 30 days from that date.

“We’re a lot closer,” Shread told the committee.

When the parish receives that corps wetlands permit, Shread advised, the parish will need to then submit a mitigation plan to the corps prior to land acquisition.

Murray addressed the committee on his canal which adjoins the new Eckerd due to open in a matter of days. On the opposite side, a new McDonald’srestaurant is scheduled to be built.

Murray said there is no need for extra reinforcement of the canal bank, and Public Works Director Steven Fall agreed. Murray added he is required by thecorps to maintain that canal in proper condition and that nearby structures or parking will not be affected by any potential erosion.

Sammy Accardo of the parish Wastewater Department said his employees operating the treatment plants are “doing a fantastic job” but that the plants remain under-manned.

The Destrehan regional treatment plant should be completed by mid- September, according to Rob Martin, speaking for the department. The westbank plant is nearly complete, with four small sections of servitude for force mains still to be acquired.

Martin said those problems should be cleared and the plant online by late October or early November.

Public works projects, including the Paul Maillard Road crossing at Boutte Canal and the Paul Maillard sidewalk projects, have been completed, with final change orders due at the next parish council meeting Aug. 7. The jack-and-bore project on Sugarhouse Road is also completed, with no final change orders.

Two residents of Ormond Trace attended the meeting to complain about the parish pumping station which draws off water so quickly in the canal behind their houses that erosion has taken several feet from their property and threatens their homes.

Morris Stewart of 6 Ormond Trace and Brian Cannon of 8 Ormond Trace told the committee the problem has persisted despite sandbags and even concrete bulkheads they installed.

“I had my lawnmower fall in the other day,” Cannon said.

Stewart’s wife, Torey, said small alligators have been captured in that canal and she worries about her small children.

“We’re real concerned,” she said.

Parish President Albert Laque, also in attendance, told Stewart and Cannon he expected a recommendation from Fall in the next 30 days to address the problem.

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