By SUSANNE HINKLE

News Editor

HAHNVILLE- The St. Charles Parish Council voted to lift the ban on building on the East Bank of St. Charles Parish at Monday’s meeting.

The council enacted a moratorium on building on the East Bank of the parish in January of 2006 due to a continuing water crisis. The East Bank’s water plant has been running at or dangerously near capacity and is in danger of failing all together. The ban on building is set to expire on December 31 of this year.

The council recently approved a bid to link the West Bank’s water plant to the East Bank via two lines to run under the Mississippi River. The move is expected to elevate stress on the failing C Plant located in New Sarpy. Plans to reconstruct the failing C Plant are currently on the table but the linkage is expected the buy some time for construction of a new plant and ensure that quality water is provided to all residents of the East Bank until the C Plant is up and running.

&#8220I believe the majority of the council thought they have done their best to protect the people of the East Bank of St. Charles Parish. The linkage will be done soon and that will help elevate any stress on the failing C plant,” said Councilman Lance Marino.

Councilwoman April Black opposed lifting the ban on building and wanted to extend the moratorium for another six months. Along with Councilman Barry Minnich the two opposed lifting the ban.

&#8220I convinced the council that the ban should be lifted and it passed with a vote of eight to two,” concluded Marino.

The ban was opposed by the St. Charles Office of Economic Development that expressed to the council that an extension of the ban would send the wrong message to people interested in building or investing in the parish.