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Shreveport officials say sewage consent-decree work continues; water treatment upgrades under way
Summary
The city reported ongoing work under the federal consent decree, $620 million spent to date, and steps to address residents' taste-and-odor complaints including new treatment equipment and a WIFIA loan application.
William Daniel, director of the Water and Sewer Department, told the City Council that work required under the federal consent decree is continuing but “not going on at the rates specified in the consent decree.” He said the department has completed sanitary sewer assessments Phases 1–4 and is using CCTV to finish Phase 5, and that several remedial-measure plans need revision.
Daniel said approximately 40 lift stations are under construction or entering construction and most are scheduled for completion by 2027. “We have spent on the consent decree approximately $620,000,000 to date,” he said, adding that those costs were paid for primarily through rate increases: “Rates have approximately doubled since 2014.”
On funding, Daniel said the department has secured several grants, including $5 million from a water-sector commission and $8 million from the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality’s Clean Water Fund. He said the department has submitted or will submit a letter of application to EPA for a WIFIA loan and described the program’s terms to council members: WIFIA can finance roughly 49% of a project while the locality must provide the remaining 51%, loans can run 35 years, and repayment typically does not begin until five years after substantial completion.
“Because what we had in the bond issue clearly was not going to be enough” to cover all sewer work, Daniel said the department is using bond proceeds as part of the match for federal financing and continuing settlement discussions with EPA and the Department of Justice. City legal staff told the council that the consent-decree discussion is within ongoing litigation and suggested detailed briefings take place in executive session because they involve settlement negotiations.
On water quality, Daniel said plant changes have improved taste and odor: the plant now operates a second chlorine dioxide system and new activated-carbon treatment to address color and tastes. He noted the system has cleaned out basins more frequently since manganese removal increased basin fouling and described options for installing automatic basin-cleaning equipment as a near-term priority. “One of the most immediate needs . . . is a way to clean out our basins efficiently,” he said.
Council members asked about timing and costs; Daniel said some basin-cleaning rentals run roughly $1,100 for a skid-steer rental and that estimates are being gathered for permanent automatic systems. He also described larger plant upgrades included in the 2024 bond package: rebuilding a high-low building at the plant, replacing two large 24-inch lines that carry about 60% of the plant’s output, and replacing the intake — all projects currently in design.
The council directed staff to provide follow-up cost estimates and additional briefings on WIFIA and basin-cleaning options so members can evaluate near-term fixes and capital projects.
