By ROBIN SHANNON

Staff Reporter

LAPLACE – In an effort to fast track improvements to a sewer lift station in Reserve that parish officials say bogs down during heavy rainfall, the St. John Council declared a public emergency during Tuesday’s council meeting.

In proposing the resolution, St. John Chief Administrative Officer Pat McTopy told the council that the Za Montz sewer lift station is not able to keep up with the movement of waste during heavy rainfall, causing the backup of waste into parking lots, businesses and homes in the area of Central Avenue and Airline Highway. He said this backup puts public health at risk, and something needs to be done quickly.

By declaring an emergency, Parish President Bill Hubbard, who also endorsed the proposal, has the authority to seek bids to increase the pumping capacity of the Za Montz lift station and authorize construction without the usual council approval.

The Council voted 8-0 to approve the resolution, with Councilman Dale Wolfe absent from the meeting for health issues.

The resolution states that the pumps and motors at the lift station cannot pump sewage quick enough during extended periods of rain, and plumbing facilities in residents, businesses, and parish facilities are left inoperable.

Hubbard said after the meeting that in the recent months, he and his office have received several phone calls regarding the flooding and sewage backup in Reserve and Garyville. He said residents and business owners have had issues with plumbing and drinking water after heavy rainfall.

“It is a very big problem when you cannot take a shower or flush a toilet when it rains,” said Hubbard. “I think for the safety of public health, an emergency was warranted.”

St. John Public Information Officer Buddy Boe said the problem became evident to the administration about five weeks ago during a period of intense rain in the area. He said parish engineers looked at the problem to see if the pump could be replaced, but discovered that the lift station just cannot process waste fast enough.

Boe said the problem comes from the upgrade of a Central Avenue pump station. The upgrade moved waste to the Za Montz station faster than the station can handle it.

Hubbard said the project to upgrade the station’s capacity could cost anywhere from $500,000 to $700,000. He said $500,000 has already been built into the budget, and additional money would come from sales tax revenues.

Councilman Charles Julien, who represents the area involved in the emergency, applauded the resolution, and the quick movement by the administration.

“It is a good thing we are working together to get things done in a timely manner,” Julien told Hubbard. “The emergency action was justified.”

Hubbard said the parish will begin to seek bids on the project in about a week, and a contractor would be hired to do the work.

The parish must notify residents of the public emergency within 10 days, as outlined in the state’s bid laws. Boe said the action would appear on the parish website, the government’s public access channel, and in the official journal.