Parish President Matthew Jewell, St. Charles Parish Council members and Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority representatives celebrated the groundbreaking for the Sunset Automatic Bar Screen project on Monday. The pump station is located at 198 Kerry’s Pointe West in Bayou Gauche. 

“The Sunset Pump Station is one of the only major stations in St. Charles Parish that does not currently have automatic bar screen cleaners,” Parish President Matthew Jewell said. “We’re grateful to partner with CPRA to bring this project to reality, and their contribution will help bring a drainage improvement to residents in the Bayou Gauche area.” 

Seven automatic bar screen cleaners, an upgraded electrical system and a generator will be installed to improve the station’s efficiency. The electrical components in this phase will allow for further upgrades in the second phase of this project. Additionally, the canal will be widened, and the size of the sump will be increased, making it easier for water to reach the pumps at the station. The project is included in both the West Bank Hurricane Protection and Upper Barataria Risk Reduction System, as well as the 2023 CPRA Coastal Master Plan. 

Burk Kleinpeter designed the improvements, and Sealevel Construction, Inc. is the contractor. The total project cost is $12,594,880.00, with $6,000,000 dedicated by CPRA. The project is expected to be completed in spring 2026.