Council accepts positive wastewater audit and adopts parish hazard mitigation plan

The Covington City Council heard a pair of environmental items on March 3: a favorable wastewater treatment audit and formal adoption of the parish hazard mitigation plan.

David Curtis of Curtis Environmental presented the city's LPDES (Louisiana Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) MWPP audit and said the city's total score dropped from 90 to 57.5 this year, an improvement driven by reductions in overflows and bypasses and by investments in pumps, telemetry and generators for the collection system. "In total, you went from last year at 90 points to 57.5 this year," Curtis said, praising plant operators and noting the city had no influent-flow or effluent-quality violations. Curtis recommended continued investment in collection-system equipment and operator training.

Separately, Chris Brown presented the Saint Tammany Parish multi-jurisdictional hazard mitigation plan update, explaining FEMA requires the plan every five years for jurisdictions to remain eligible for hazard-mitigation grants. He noted the steering committee included an equal number of residents and city employees and thanked resident volunteers by name for their service. Council moved and adopted the resolution to adopt the plan.

Councilmembers commended wastewater staff and the consultant; motions to accept the audit report and to adopt the hazard mitigation plan carried on roll call.