Lafourche Parish Council Oks tougher anti-dumping ordinance

The Bayou Lafourche Fresh Water District recently put an anti-dumping ordinance into effect that bans residents from building structures along Bayou Lafourche that could limit the flow of water.

The anti-dumping ordinance says that residents have to apply for a permit through the Fresh Water District before constructing any type of structure along the bayou.

Fresh Water District Chairman Hugh Caffery said over the years residents have been narrowing the channel by filling it with structures like docks, piers, bulkheads and wharfs.

In addition, silt has been deposited into the bayou reducing its depth, he said.

The buildup in the waterway has begun to cause problems with the quality of water flowing to homes and businesses in the area.

“People don’t realize that what they put into the bayou, we will eventually have to clean out to keep the waterway open,” Caffery said.

Most recently, hurricanes Gustav and Ike caused major problems in the bayou. Caffery said the hurricanes churned up the bottom layer in the bayou, and rainwater washed in a substantial amount of vegetative matter that caused some major problems.

“The silt and vegetation was trapped around many of the structures and decayed,” he said. “Once it decayed, the waters became putrid and undrinkable. It was not even suitable for bathing or washing clothes.”

“It was a stern wake-up call to the 300,000 people located within the Bayou Lafourche Fresh Water District that depend on the waterway for their water needs,” Caffery added.

The state gives permission to the district to ban building structures along the bayou because the Bayou Lafourche Fresh Water District is charged with the duty of providing a source of safe drinking water for the people living and working in Lafourche, Terrebonne and Assumption parishes, and parts of Ascension Parish.

The fresh water district had some opposition to an upcoming dredging project set to begin at year’s end. Residents in the Donaldsonville area protested removing structures because they contended the structures were on private property.

However, Caffery said once Bayou Lafourche was dubbed a “navigable” waterway, it was open for public use.

“The people didn’t realize that their structures were not on private property,” he said. “We didn’t want to have to tell people that they had to remove their bulkheads, but in some places it’s necessary for us to clean the waterway.”

Failure to obtain a permit before construction could result in criminal penalties of up to $500 in fines or time in prison for no more than six months.

Caffery said there is a currently pending case with the Lafourche Parish District Court for failure to comply.

“We are not trying to deter residents from building bulkheads, piers or wharfs along the bayou,” he said. “But we would rather survey the area to make sure that the structure won’t restrict the flow of water before it’s built.

“If we allow these actions to continue, it could result in a catastrophic loss of our vital water supply,” Caffery added.

Before residents do any work along Bayou Lafourche, they should call the fresh water district to see if their structure obstructs the waterway. Permits and surveys are free.

The Bayou Lafourche Fresh Water District is located at 1016 St. Mary St. Residents can call (985) 447-7155.

Thibodaux Mayor Charles Caillouet had to bring in extra equipment to aerate the city’s water supply after hurricanes Gustav and Ike. The water in Bayou Lafourche was filled with decaying materials that gave off a stinky odor. The aeration restored oxygen to the water, clearing it of the stench. * Photo by SOPHIA RUFFIN