City steps toward water meters

The Bogalusa City Council called a special meeting Wednesday to take action on a resolution to authorize the mayor to apply for a $5 million Water Revenue bond that would fund citywide water meters.

The resolution passed with a vote of five to zero, with Council President Wendy Perrette and Councilman Paul Penton absent.

The public hearing on the issue took place at the last regular council meeting on June 16, but action was tabled at the time for further consideration.

The special meeting was reportedly called so the city would not lose out on the opportunity to benefit from a Department of Health and Hospitals Drinking Water Revolving Loan Program and federal stimulus money that comes with a startup time deadline.

That program would mean substantial savings if the city proceeds with the project.

Whether or not that happens would depend on council action preceded by public hearings at various steps along the way. The application is only the first step.

The Bond Commission meets once a month, and it would take an additional month to get the Bogalusa item on its agenda, the council was told.

“If we waited two weeks we couldn’t get before the Bonding Commission until August, and we have to break ground by Feb. 17 of next year or lose the money,” Public Works Director James Hall said this week. “If we don’t do it now with the stimulus, what are we going to do if three or four years down the line the DEQ mandates meters? What are we going to do then?”

If it does go forward, the project is estimated to take 18 months to two years to complete, but the city hopes it could be started and finished sooner. Businesses and residences would all be switched over to the new metered rate system at the same time.

While a few members of the public have questioned the move, the council and administration say the meters would pay for themselves. They would decrease wear and tear on the system and the amount of city labor required for operations; stop waste by pinpointing leaks and discouraging over-consumption by customers who would have to pay for what they use; and help conserve a limited resource in the process, they argue.

The city would basically borrow $3 million from the DHH and $2 million of federal stimulus funds. One million dollars of the stimulus money would be “forgiven,” so Bogalusa would actually only borrow $4 million, said City Administrator Jerry Bailey.

And the stimulus money could increase because 20 percent of the total $28 million state allotment is required to fund “green” projects, and if not enough eligible projects apply for the funding, the money could be disbursed among those that have applied, he said.

The installation of the new water meter system is a green project that would be good for the environment and good for Bogalusa, according to city leaders. It’s needed. And the window of opportunity for the stimulus funding won’t be open much longer, they say.

For additional information on the funding program, see related story on page 3.