St. Bernard Drinking Water Revolving Loan and Waterline Replacement Project
Program Management for St. Bernard Parish Water Projects
Digital Engineering (DE) provides program management for St. Bernard Parish’s Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund projects, funded by the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH). The Parish successfully secured $35 million in loans through the program, with DE guiding compliance, planning, and project delivery.
Client
St. Bernard Parish
Project Location
St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana
Water System Program Management
As Program Manager, DE prepared the System Improvement Plan, Business Plan, and Operations & Maintenance Manual, while also overseeing loan administration. Responsibilities included managing multiple design teams, coordinating design, bidding, and construction administration with LDH, preparing reimbursement requests, and ensuring Davis-Bacon Act and American Iron and Steel (AIS) compliance.
Design & Construction
In addition to program oversight, DE designed and administered the first two funded projects: Waterline Replacement Projects 1.1 and 1.5. Project 1.1 constructed 14,000 linear feet of new 8-inch water lines and abandoned outdated 6- and 10-inch lines along several major corridors, with new hydrants, isolation valves, and service connections. Project 1.5 replaced 2,200 linear feet of aging cast iron water lines in Arabi with modern 8-inch mains, complete with associated valves and hydrants. These upgrades improved system reliability, capacity, and water quality for residents
Rapid Waterline Upgrades
Both projects faced accelerated deadlines due to an administrative order following the detection of Naegleria fowleri in the Parish’s system. Despite these urgent conditions, DE completed designs within 60 days, enabling rapid funding and construction to safeguard public health.
Award-Winning Water System Rehabilitation
The St. Bernard Parish program was developed in response to Administrative Orders and CDC confirmation of the presence of the brain-eating amoeba “Naegleria Fowleri” in the water system. The program aimed to rehabilitate the distribution system with modern materials to reduce or eliminate old, corroded pipes that create environments for harmful pollutants and pathogens, reduce or eliminate leaking joints which are both vectors for contamination and cause system losses, and meet the EPA's Green Project Reserve designation, resulting in energy cost savings for SBP Waterworks serving 43,000 residents. The program was recognized by EPA for the high level of innovation developed by the DE Team. As a result of the program’s performance, St. Bernard Parish received the “2019 Aquarius Award”. This nationally recognized achievement from the US EPA was one of 10 projects in the nation to receive a rating of “Exceptional Project”.
