Wastewater surveys headed to mailbox near you

By Renee Simpson

The St. Charles Parish Department of Wastewater is mailing to all commercial and industrial sewer users on the East Bank an Industrial User Survey.

This survey is required by the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality. St. Charles Parish is asking all businesses to complete the survey as accurately as possible and return it in the postage paid envelope provided no later than Oct. 25.

Any questions should be directed to the Wastewater Department at (985) 783-5100.

President addresses west bank levee
The West Bank hurricane protection levee continues to be a hot topic for residents of the area as well as parish leaders.

In this month’s edition of the parish-produced ‘St. Charles Parish Today’ talk show, Parish President V.J. St. Pierre addresses questions about the project and explains the hurdles and causes for hope he’s seen since taking office in 2008.

To view the segment, residents should log on to youtube.com/stcharlesgov. To view the entire episode, you should log on to vimeo.com/stcharlesgov. The show also airs at 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. daily on Cox Cable Channel 6.

Get down to the nitty-gritty
Two new videos now airing on the St. Charles Parish Government Access Channel address the everyday workings of two of the parish’s most vital departments.

In ‘FAQ: Wastewater’, Director Sammy Accardo answers some of the most frequently asked questions about sewer usage, including an overview of what happens at the Luling Oxidation Pond.

Remember that everything that goes down a drain goes through miles of piping to end up at one of the parish’s treatment plants.

So what substances should NEVER go down the drain?

•Cooking grease or oil (this accumulates and causes plugged lines)

•Harmful chemicals

•Plastics, metals

•Paper towels

Other questions answered include: What is a lift station and how does it work? What is a back flow preventer? Does the plant discharge wastewater into the wetlands? Will the parish need to rebuild or replace any of the current plants?
In the latest ‘Public Works Update’ Superintendent Steve Truitt gives a detailed overview of the ‘moves’ currently underway in both Public Works and Wastewater.

To make room for a new water storage tank at the Luling Waterworks Plant, land is being cleared and equipment moved to the site of the new West Bank Public Works Yard on Hwy. 3160 in Hahnville.

And renovation work is continuing on the building that once housed the Destrehan Library to offer new, permanent office space for Public Works and Wastewater.

Both changes will help increase efficiency within the departments, which maintain parish infrastructure on a daily basis.

Renee Allemand Simpson serves as Public Information Officer for St. Charles Parish. She may be reached at rsimpson@stcharlesgov.net or (985) 783-5183.