Parish administration outlines levee inspections, water fixes and new code‑enforcement procedures as East Bank residents warn of hardships

At a Plaquemines Parish Council meeting, parish administration presented plans to expand code enforcement, reported recent levee inspections and described water‑system repairs while residents from the East Bank raised concerns about enforcement and infrastructure equity.

The administration said it is creating a dedicated code‑enforcement unit that will be equipped with mobile devices to document violations and re‑inspect properties before hearings. The administration also described a “strategic sites” or greenfield inventory for future economic development and said a grant writer, Lacey Landrum, will begin supporting grant applications and related projects.

Parish coastal and levee work was a central topic. Officials reported that final inspections were completed Jan. 8 on a levee/drainage structure at Myrtle Grove/Wood Park/Lehi and that the parish will now be responsible for semi‑annual operations reports and for routine maintenance such as grass cutting and rock replacement. The parish’s coastal director told the council the multi‑parish West Bank & Vicinity (WBV) levee project will start soon; Plaquemines Parish’s share of that program was described as a percentage of overall cost (reported during the meeting as between about 12% and 18% for most districts and 100% for one local levee district).

Water operations and contractor work were also discussed. Officials reported that Inframark identified and opened a large valve on a 20‑inch line that increased the volume of water reaching the Port Sulphur reservoir; pumps were adjusted after that change. The parish said Inframark also replaced roughly 15–16 larger commercial water meters in December; officials said early readings will show whether those replacements increase revenue. Officials said the Port Sulphur reservoir is filling faster but cautioned that older distribution lines farther south may not tolerate higher pressure without repairs.

Public‑works and operations managers gave updates on road and marina repairs, saying pier and boat‑slip projects at Empire and other harbors were near completion but that outstanding landscaping, access and backflow repairs remained. A contractor for the marina work was described as about “98%” complete on the structural work, with small punch‑list items outstanding.

Residents from the East Bank spoke during public comment, pressing the council to consider the impact of enforcement and capital projects on low‑income households. Resident Clarence Brock warned that strict enforcement and fines could lead to property tax liens and foreclosures for owners who cannot afford repairs or yard maintenance; he also said parts of the East Bank lack floodgates and that drainage and pump capacity remain problems. Council members acknowledged those complaints and said administration staff would pursue targeted assistance programs mentioned during the meeting.

The parish also said it will begin mailing round‑4 noncompliance notices for RV parks next week (about 14 notices were reported), and that a recent round of notices had produced nearly complete compliance. Officials confirmed that the Woodlawn Fire Station renovation came in over budget but said scope reductions were limited to material substitutions, not cuts to the work, and that they would provide line‑item notes on where value engineering reduced cost.

Why it matters: levee operation and water‑system changes affect flood protection and everyday services across the parish. Residents expressed concern that enforcement rules and infrastructure work must account for low‑income households and fragile water/sewer lines.

Ending: Council members asked staff to provide more detailed schedules and to meet with district council members about prioritization of drainage and levee work. Administration officials said they will return with more precise meter‑reading results, levee‑inspection reports and a list of grant priorities.