Plant construction well underway
Construction on the new parish-wide sewer system is underway and already becoming a visible presence in north Bossier.
The multi-million dollar plant is taking shape on Benton road, located in the Cash Point vicinity along the Red River. Butch Ford, Parish Engineer, said mild and mostly dry weather conditions have been critical in the project’s progress since breaking ground last month.
“The weather has been dry enough, until this week, to get things done,” he said. “They’ve gotten a couple things done out there and it’s going really well for this time of year.”
Ford said the project is just about five percent complete so far, but work will steadily pick up over time.
“We are taking a fast and furious approach,” he said. “We have our plans ready and it’s going to be a busy year and a half.”
The $55 million project is broken down into two phases. The first is purchasing sewer lines along the Highway 80 corridor, which Ford said has been completed. The second phase will include buying systems along the Kingston Road corridor, constructing roadways and installing collection lines.
Ford said they are also actively seeking three plant operators to hire and “get on the ground” now.
“We want them to see the process from start to finish,” Ford explained. “That way they know where the lines are and how the plant was built when it comes time for repairs.”
The new plant is scheduled to be completed next spring. A parish-wide utility district will ultimately make future residential and commercial development easier to plan and build.
Ford said this project is the largest he’s worked on in his 11 years with the parish.
“It’s an economic engine along with electricity and water,” Ford said. “Our parish and state officials understand the importance of providing a quality sewer system for our community. The rapid growth and potential for more in the future shows a need for this to happen.”
