City of LC Water System receives state’s first BIL loan to improve water quality

The Louisiana Department of Health’s Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund Program has awarded its first Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Emerging Contaminant Loan to the city of Lake Charles Water System, enabling that system to improve the quality of its drinking water.

The city of Lake Charles Water System received a $2.3 million forgivable loan to reduce levels of iron and manganese in the local drinking water. The city system currently serves more than 35,000 water customers.

Engineers plan to replace the system’s pressure filter and install a potassium permanganate feed system at the Center East Water Treatment Plant, as well as rehabilitate the pressure filter at the Chennault Water Treatment Plant.

“This is a unique opportunity to prioritize funding to local communities that are on the frontlines dealing with emerging contaminants, and this funding must be distributed to communities entirely as forgivable loans,” DWRLF Program Manager Joel McKenzie said.

The federal funding can be used to target the removal of contaminants listed on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Contaminant Candidate Lists (CCL) 1-5. Manganese contamination is problematic in Louisiana, and it poses a health risk when levels are too high. Thus, the Louisiana Department of Health has elected to use the funding to target projects that remove manganese from drinking water.

The BIL provides $5 billion nationally through various State Revolving Funds (SRFs). Louisiana has access to about $11 million each year for the law’s five-year period. The state’s DWRLF program closed on the $2.3 million BIL loan with the city of Lake Charles on Sept. 14.

This funding represents the second DWRLF loan awarded to the city of Lake Charles this year. The state awarded the water system a $20 million loan in May 2023 to improve its facilities. That funding, which has a mandated principal forgiveness of 49% of the value with the remaining 51% provided as a low-interest loan at 2.45%, is being used to construct a new 6 million gallon-per-day ground treatment facility that will include provisions for future expansion to 10 million gallons per day.

The new facility is the seventh ground treatment facility in the city’s system.

SportsPlus

Local News

WEATHER UPDATE: Severe storms possible overnight

Local News

Town hall meetings, candidate forums, debates planned ahead of March election

Crime

2/18: Calcasieu Parish Sheriff announces arrest list

Local News

Republicans consider cuts and work requirements for Medicaid, jeopardizing care for millions

McNeese Sports

Rain washes away Cowboys’ trip

Local News

Temple: Changes to La. insurance industry won’t be felt overnight

Local News

Dispute over Gulf name may be headed to court

McNeese Sports

Cowboys rally for big win

Crime

Hitman will continue to serve life sentence in Fourth of July murder

Local News

Delta Airlines flight flips over on landing at Toronto’s Pearson Airport and 8 people are hurt

Local News

School Board looks to make up lost time due to snow days

Local News

Jennings councilman wants to change rules for hiring, firing attorney

life

Preserving history for future generations: Exhibit examinins role Black churches play in communities

Local News

Trump administration tries to bring back fired nuclear weapons workers in DOGE reversal

Crime

2/17: Calcasieu Parish Sheriff announces arrest list

life

Vote now for the People’s Choice Mardi Gras of SW La.

Local News

Trump begins firings of FAA air traffic control staff just weeks after fatal DC plane crash

McNeese Sports

Showdown in Hammond

McNeese Sports

Diamond roundup: Cowboys fall, Cowgirls win

Local News

US eggs prices hit a record high of $4.95 and are likely to keep climbing

Local News

Several Louisiana public university athletic programs — including McNeese — face financial deficits

Local News

Getting back on par: The long and short of the National Golf Club of Louisiana

Local News

NASA sending DeRidder students’ experiment into stratosphere

Local News

Shady Lane man found unresponsive has died