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Plaquemines officials say low state water grades reflect aging infrastructure, not unsafe tap water
Summary
Parish staff and Inframark briefed the council on 2025 water grades, attributing deductions to aging towers, saltwater intrusion and dead‑end lines; officials said daily sampling shows treated water meeting standards while repairs and funding plans are moving forward.
Jeff Morgan, operations lead with Inframark, told the Plaquemines Parish Council on June 11 that low 2025 water-system grades reflected infrastructure problems rather than unsafe finished water. “The tests are passing,” Morgan said, adding that most deductions came from aging towers, administrative orders and saltwater intrusion that left standing water in tanks and dead‑end lines.
Morgan said Port Sulfur’s low score stemmed from a lack of permanent generators, contaminant exceedances during last year’s saltwater intrusion and low chlorine residuals caused by leaks and stagnant lines. He described a phased repair plan tied to capital-outlay and grants, with an initial capital outlay of roughly $700,000 for phase one and a potential $6 million in a P5 allocation that would be pursued next year.
The briefing emphasized operational fixes the parish is already pursuing: increased flushing of dead-end lines, repairs to water towers, targeted leak-finding and replacing old meters. “We do it daily,” Morgan said when asked how often staff sample water; he described a mix of plant, distribution-station and in‑home sampling and said the state lab performs confirmatory testing.
Council members and residents pressed staff on recurring complaints, including reports of sand in water lines at businesses and disputed high bills. Morgan and other operations staff said sand is typically mobilized after major breaks, and that sand filters at plants capture most solids; they agreed to investigate specific business complaints. On billing disputes, staff said the parish’s new metering software can show usage trends and that credits are available when verified leaks have caused billed overcharges.
Parish administrators said funding remains the primary constraint to speed repairs. Council members asked for a prioritized plan and cost estimates that would show how many towers and lines need replacement, expected timelines, and the impact of potential state credits or federal grants. Several council members and staff committed to circulating the capital and sampling data to the full council and to post consumer‑facing sample summaries to improve public information.
The council did not take a final vote on capital allocations at the meeting but directed staff to provide a clearer plan and costs so the council can consider funding options in upcoming budget discussions.
