The city’s rehabilitation of the wastewater treatment plant on West 18th Street will cost about $42 million. When factoring in the cost of the administrative building and laboratory associated with the project, the price tag jumps to $43.2 million, making it the largest investment Lake Charles has ever made in its wastewater infrastructure.
Even though local officials routinely point out how the work is needed for the city to accommodate the coming population growth, they also recognize similar projects aren’t always the most appealing to residents when it comes to Lake Charles’ expenses. Primarily because when the system is functioning properly, it goes largely unnoticed.
“Sewer isn’t sexy,” said City Administrator John Cardone.
Wastewater Treatment Plant B/C consists of two hydraulically separate treatment trains that share a common, permitted discharge point — Contraband Bayou.
Train B, built in 1954, was designed to treat 2.2 million gallons per day. Train C, built in 1968, was designed to treat 4 million gallons per day. The new plant, which will be constructed next to the current facility, will have a treatment capacity of 8 million gallons per day with a maximum daily peak flow rate of 35 million gallons.
“This will allow us to service all of the needs within the city of Lake Charles in a treatment capacity and also allows us some additional expansion capacity,” Cardone said.
Before the city took steps to facilitate the rehabilitation project, Cardone said officials looked into the feasibility of shutting down Plant B/C. When engineers began evaluating the idea of diverting capacity away from the plant and expanding Plant D, the concept initially appeared to be the most cost-efficient option. Cardone said that after further evaluation, it was determined that the plan would cost “considerably more” than just rehabilitating Plant B/C.
In March 2015, the city retained the services of an engineering company for the design and construction management of the plant.
The plans and specifications for the facility were publicly put out for bid in January. In April, a notice to proceed was given to a construction company for a project timetable of 800 calendar construction days.
“This is vital because of all of the expansion taking place in the Lake Charles area,” Cardone said. “This particular project, outside of Plant D, which was a $40 million project, this is the single, largest project that the city has undertaken.”
Recently, the city’s budget was amended to allocate an additional $15.7 million in reserves from the general, wastewater and riverboat gambling funds to pay for the project.
City officials said $14 million left over from a 2011 DEQ Clean Water State Revolving Fund loan will also be used to pay for the plant. Lake Charles also received approval for an additional $15 million loan from the same fund to help finance the work, or other needed improvements to the city’s wastewater system.
Other funding sources include $2 million in state capital outlay funds.
A groundbreaking ceremony for the project was pushed back in April due to inclement weather. Delays continued over the last few weeks as the region endured a number of severe weather systems. The problems could persist in the coming days as a tropical disturbance makes its way into the Gulf of Mexico, bringing with it the possibility of more rains in the region.
Cardone said that despite the weather, the plant’s construction timetable remains intact. He said delays are to be expected over a two-year window. He even said the project, which is 15 percent complete, is ahead of schedule.
When it comes to the city’s work to upgrade its wastewater system, Cardone said progress is somewhat lagging.
“I think we’re behind the curve as of right now, but I think we’re making progress. When you spend $42 million on a plant, you’re putting a lot of money into sewer and wastewater,” he said. “But it’s a needed commodity if you’re trying to encourage development.”
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