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Small water system seeks $28,000 after Swift fiber crews allegedly damaged lines
Summary
A water-system president told the parish council that Swift (fiber) construction crews damaged water mains and later reneged on payment; he asked the council and attorneys to help pursue reimbursement for roughly $28,000 in repair costs.
Brian Hamrick, president of the Chesnut Pecan Railroad Water System, told the Natchitoches Parish Council that crews installing Swift fiber optic infrastructure damaged his system and that his utility has documented about $28,000 in repairs.
Hamrick said the crews bored at inconsistent depths — at one site he reported crews were about 30 inches deep where the permit specified 5–7 feet from the servitude center — and that the crews hit and wrapped around the water main in several places. "So far, our total is around $28,000 so far," Hamrick said, and he said Swift initially agreed to pay some damages but later "got cold feet."
Hamrick described eighteen separate breaks and said crews and local water-system staff worked overnight to replace more than 400 feet of water main. He said he provided original system plans to Swift and attempted to work with the contractor in the field, but he said damages continued.
Councilors said the parish attorney has received invoices and that legal staff would review the claims and coordinate with Swift representatives. The council suggested that the water system seek parish assistance to obtain representation or to press for reimbursement, and staff said they would follow up with the company and with the parish attorney.
Council members noted that Swift work is part of a larger infrastructure push to bring broadband to remote areas, but asked staff to clarify company permitting practices, bore-depth expectations and what compensation Swift agreed to in earlier discussions. Officials did not approve direct parish payment at the meeting but signaled they would pursue legal avenues and that staff would bring further information back to the council.
