UPDATE: Emergency ordinances signed for repairs to sewerage lift station three

Published 3:31 pm Wednesday, May 22, 2024

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On Tuesday, May 21, the Bogalusa City Council passed two emergency ordinances that authorized the purchase of two pumps to repair sewerage lift station three. According to Public Works Director James Patterson, the 30-horsepower pumps cost $22,000 each. When asked how long the repairs would take, Patterson said that if the council authorized the money, they would be repaired within a few days.

Currently, Fiorenza Drive near the lift station is shut down to through traffic. The city has rented transfer pumps to help alleviate the situation, but as of today, May 22, the pumps were on site and not being used. Sewage was still free-flowing from the broken main underground, downhill and into the nearby Bogue Lusa Creek.

The 30 horsepower pumps required to repair the station were ordered today, and the company that builds them typically needs 8-12 weeks to construct and ship them to our local distributor.

Estimates for these pumps were given to the city back in February, indicating that they knew then that the old pumps were failing and would need to be replaced soon. It is not clear how long the lift station has been actively leaking raw sewage, or how much of it has leaked out at this point.

Patterson stated. “We won’t leave the station until it is like-new again.”

 

This is a developing story and we will post updates as we receive them. Both Mayor Truong and Patterson have not responded to requests for information regarding the lift station.