City Raises Water Rates
BOBBY ARDOIN
St. Landry Now.com Editor
City of Opelousas utility customers are scheduled to experience another increase for water and sewerage consumption beginning July 1, in order to help pay for upgrades that are necessary to maintain state compliance.
The additional 4.73 percent that will be charged monthly in monthly bills, was approved on Tuesday night during a May meeting of the Opelousas board of Aldermen.
Mayor Julius Alsandor explained that beginning in 2023, the city adopted an overall utility system improvement plan with oversight from the State Department of Health and Hospitals. The plan mandates that a number of costly corrections must be made to the city water and sewerage systems in order to avoid state takeover of the municipal utilities.
One part of that overall plan Alsandor told the Board, includes implementing water and sewerage rate hikes incrementally in order to help pay for the costs.
Other Water Improvement action
Although there was no discussion, the Board awarded two separate water improvement contracts totaling $9.273 million that will be covered partially by using a loan agreement plan approved by the DHH.
One $7.972 million project enables the citywide replacement of galvanized steel water mains and service lines.
Bihm Construction Company has received the bid for the citywide waterline project that is dependent upon DHH approval.
Another $1.3 million loan, which also requires DHH consent, will be used to make repairs for the city water plant, according to city engineer William Jarrell III.
The Board is expected next month to consider issuing indebtedness bonds in order to help pay for the utility infrastructure improvements.
City administrators have said previously that they expect a portion of project loan costs for each set of improvements to be absorbed by the DHH.
