PLEASURE BEND — With the completion of the new Pleasure Bend Water Treatment Facility, area residents and businesses now have access to St. John the Baptist Parish water treated using a reverse osmosis unit, Parish officials said.

Prior to construction of the new system, residents were connected to the St. James Parish water system, but billed through St. John the Baptist Parish. However, administration said St. James Parish will continue to back-up the Pleasure Bend system.

Parish President Natalie Robottom said the new facility is something to be proud of.

“The treatment facility utilizes the same technology used at the Ruddock Well facility and the process easily meets compliance standards”, Robottom said. “This project provides the Pleasure Bend community a new water source, quality water, and it eliminates the costly purchase of water from St James Parish.”

Project engineer Oscar Boudreaux said the treatment process used in the facility is similar to processes used in LaPlace.

“In addition, water quality will significantly improve with this system, and it is unaffected by potential concerns resulting from Pleasure Bend’s proximity to salt water,” Boudreaux said.

Construction of the project began in November 2017. The total project cost was $985,000, funded by a variety of sources including the 2015 Bond Issue. It was completed without tax increases or additional burden to the Parish budget.