[StBernard] Grand Opening of the Reggio Drainage Pump Station held Thursday: Three of seven pump stations complete; remaining four under construction

[Westley Annis]

Grand Opening of the Reggio Drainage Pump Station held Thursday

Three of seven pump stations complete; remaining four under construction 

 

St. Bernard Parish President Craig P. Taffaro Jr. and Parish Council members
held a Grand Opening to mark the completion of construction of the Reggio
station on Thursday, June 3, 2010. This station referred to as the Reggio
Drainage Pump Station serves the communities of Reggio and Florissant in the
eastern in of the parish.

 

"This is a critical project to benefit the residents in this area, and
another celebration in the Recovery and Growth in St. Bernard," President
Taffaro said at the event marking the progress that promises to offer
improved tidal flooding protection now that the more than $478,000 in
construction is complete, thanks to the support of FEMA and the Governor's
Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. 

President Taffaro said the new station is a big improvement because
pre-Katrina, drainage pump stations were on ground level, and any time there
was a storm they were susceptible to flooding. 

 

"This area of the parish is under an attack and this is a bright spot that
says we do care what is happening," Taffaro said, referring to the eastern
end of the parish that is comprised of many fishing communities affected by
the oil spill. "Councilman Fred Everhardt and the rest of the council want
to continue to focus on address all of the parish's needs."

 

Councilman Fred Everhardt agreed.

 

"I want to thank everyone involved," Everhardt said. "This station brings
good, up-to-date drainage to the people of Reggio."

The Reggio project that drains the Bayou LaLoutre basin involved the
replacement of one submersible 16-inch hydraulic driven pump. The pump is
capable of pumping 7,500 gallons per minute. In addition to the pump the
project included a diesel engine and related facilities. 

As part of the work at this station, the diesel engine and other facilities
were raised about 15 feet higher than the facilities that were damaged by
Hurricane Katrina. Additionally, the station can withstand winds of 140 mph
winds and has three days of diesel fuel available in storm situations to
continually operate the pumps, Taffaro said.

This is the third pumping station to come on line. New stations at North
Florissant and South Florissant are operational. Stations in Delacroix and
at Jack's Canal are nearly completed. Construction at the pumping station
for Alluvial City is underway and work for the Woodlake station is preparing
to begin.

The station was designed by Evans-Graves Engineers, Inc., and was
constructed by Hensley R. Lee Contracting. Camp Dresser & McKee Inc. was the
project manager. The St. Bernard Public Works Department and Water and Sewer
Department under Parish Acting Director of Public Works Logan Martin also
worked on the project. The Recovery Department under Director Michael Dorris
Jr. oversaw the project. Keith Kain was the project inspector for Public
Works. 

For more information about Recovery and Growth in St. Bernard Parish, visit
our website at www.sbpg.net
<https://mail.sbpg.net/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.sbpg.net/> .

 

###