DESTREHAN – A new bar screen cleaner and deck is helping Schexnaydre pump station in Destrehan move rainwater out of Ormond subdivision and other areas more efficiently, according to a release from the parish.

BLD Contractors completed the project earlier this year, which helps drain areas in Council Districts 3 and 6, said parish spokeswoman Renee Simpson. The automatic bar screen cleaners function to remove trash and green debris from the pump’s intake, allowing the pump to run smoothly during heavy rain events.

The project to outfit the 93,000-gallon-per minute pump was completed in July. The station includes two 36-inch pumps and one 30-inch pump.

The screens also protect parish workers while raking debris from intakes, sometimes in the midst of heavy wind and lightning, Simpson said. Debris is dumped onto the deck then removed via front-end loader.

“These projects may not highly be visible to residents, but they have the potential to make a huge difference with regard to overall drainage,” Parish President V.J. St. Pierre said.

The $2.1 million project was funded in part by a FEMA Hazard Mitigation grant in the amount of $884,334. Shread-Kuyrkendall served as engineers on the project, which was identified as a priority project in 2008’s Public Works Master Plan.

The Master Plan may be viewed at stcharlesparish-la.gov/publicworks.