Around 30 people gathered at Oak Grove Baptist Church in Rhinehart Monday night, October 21, for the annual membership meeting of the newly merged Nebo Water System, which combined Nebo and the Manifest-Rhinehart water systems into one large system.

For approximately one hour, the members heard updates on the massive, $10-million Water Sector Grant and had questions answered ranging from low water pressure to brown water flowing into their homes.

The meeting ratified the merger and officially installed the new Nebo Water System Board of Directors, which includes President Chance Willis and directors Roberta Guinn, Jessica Marks, Bobby Alexander and Landon LeMay.

The new water system now serves the 450 customers of the former Manifest-Rhinehart Water System and the 350 customers of the former Nebo Water System, making the 800 total users one of the largest systems in the parish.

President Willis opened the meeting by reminding those present that board members are serving in non-paying positions for the betterment of all.

“There’s a lot of things we can make it without but we’ve got to have water to survive,” Willis said. “I work for Entergy as a lineman and I love my electricity but we can actually do without electricity but we cannot do without water. I want us to have a good water system.”

Brendon Gaspard of Pan American Engineers, the firm contracted to facilitate the $10-million Water Sector Grant received last year when the systems initially merged after Manifest-Rhinehart’s two water wells collapsed, updated the members about the massive project.

He noted that there are four phases to the project and three of the four phases are “good to go” while the fourth phase has been held up in land negotiations.

According to Gaspard, the land owner of where the well expansion site in Rhinehart is located has yet to agree upon a price for the small, additional land needed for the two new water wells to be drilled.

He noted that there are other alternatives that the board may consider but expanding was the best option.

It was noted after the meeting, that the board agreed to use the al- ternative plan which allows them not to have to purchase additional land from the land owner.

“We agreed to go ahead and use that plan so we can get the process started to get the new wells drilled,” Willis said after the meeting. “The new wells located in Rhinehart will be at the same location as the previous wells, which means those residents should have the same water they had before.”

At the meeting it was noted that once the new wells are drilled and active, the large system would be divided once again in regards to where they receive their water.

“Basically, Nebo will be back on Nebo water and Manifest-Rhinehart will be back on their water,” Willis said.

It was also noted that even though the system will remain as one, the divided water supply would help in may regards, such as pressure and quality, while at the same time allowing the two to use each other’s water wells in the event of an emergency.

Gaspard said it will take around nine months to complete. If all goes well and there are no complications, Rhinehart and Manifest customers would likely have Rhinehart water flowing into their homes by the end of the summer 2025.

Bad Water Quality Discussed

Throughout Gaspard’s update, many residents expressed their displeasure with the quality of water they have been receiving since the merger last year.

The majority of those told of brown water and clumps of tar like substances in their water, issues that have heightened in the past eight months.

“I just don’t understand why we can’t consume what we’re paying for,” one resident said.

“It looks like something that comes out of the river,” another said. “Anyone down 460 can tell you, we have black things come out of it and we have to scrub our bathtubs every day.”

Gaspard explained that several factors are contributing to the poor water quality, including the chemicals used to break down iron and magnesium which is the result of an insufficient aerator in the Nebo storage tank.

“So, the longer the water stays in the system the more (black clumps) you have,” he said. “And since we’re talking about moving water all the way from Nebo up here, that water is in the system a long time.”

Willis also noted those living in Nebo are experiencing the same issues. “We get it at our house too,” he said. “My wife gripes about it in her bathtub but I promise you, we’re trying our best to alleviate that. We don’t want to send that to you and we don’t want it either. But, if it’s any consolation, the water is tested and it is safe to drink.”

The president also noted that one of the ground storage tanks in Nebo is over ten years old and the ladder inside it has rusted. It is this tank that the aerator is not large enough to handle the gases in the water.

“Because of that, the gases are not busted up enough and the ladder has rusted and that rust has settled at the bottom of the tank,” he said. “That is the brown water that is pulled into the system.”

Willis said that when the original water system was built in Nebo the board never envisioned they would have to send water all the way to Catahoula Parish, noting the system was not originally built for that type of water distribution.

“But you all didn’t have any water and we were trying our best to help out to be good neighbors,” he said, to which many in the crowd vocally thanked them for providing the much-needed water. “I hate it, I really do, and I promise you that we’re here to help and once we get those new wells drilled and you are getting water from those wells, you probably won’t have any more issues.”

He also asked the members to be patient as they deal with the project as it is managed by the federal government.

“Anybody in here that’s ever dealt with the federal government on anything knows there are so many hoops and every time you think you have all your i’s dotted and t’s crossed, they come up with some other junk,” he said. “I’m not making excuses but I don’t want you all to think we’re not doing anything. We are working as feverously as we can to try and get the system up and get it good and have this mess behind us.”

New Water Rates

Also at the meeting, the board introduced the new water rates for the newly merged Nebo Water System, which will go into effect January 1, 2025.

The water rates are the result of a Louisiana Rural Water Association rate study that was conducted for some three months.

The new rates are: Residential – $53 base rate per month, $4.75 per 1,000 gallons after 2,000 gallons.

Commercial – $75 base rate per month, $5.50 per 1,000 gallons after 2,000 gallons.

The current rate for customers of the old Nebo Water System is $62 per month and the current rate for Manifest-Rhinehart Water System is $33 per month, plus additional charges.

Willis noted that the new rates were not the idea of the board but rather the LRWA, which allows the system to accrue money for emergency situations.

“This allows us to have a rainy-day fund so we don’t get in this situation where we have two wells that fail and no money to fix them,” he said. “You can have one lightning strike and lose everything you’ve got just like that (he snapped his fingers). We have lived through that down in Nebo. We have insurance, but it doesn’t work like a homeowner’s plan. It takes months up to a year to get your money back and in the meantime, you don’t have any water for people.”

Customer Sharon George spoke for many when she said, “I don’t think anyone would have a problem paying this if we had quality water.”

Willis noted that if everything goes according to the plan, one day all customers of the water system should be satisfied with their water quality, whether they live in Nebo or Rhinehart.

History

In March 2023, the Manifest-Rhinehart’s main water well collapsed, caving in with sand. The backup well was activated to provide water and it also collapsed, leaving the 450 customers without water for several days.

The closest water system was Nebo, whose board approved an emergency water connection with Manifest-Rhinehart to supply them with water. The emergency declaration allowed the system to receive money to lay about two miles of water lines to connect the two system and Manifest- Rhinehart began receiving Nebo water.

The two systems had already been engaged in negotiations to merge, realizing the merger would increase their percentage to receive large grants. With the wells out of service in Rhinehart, the merger was the prudent path and grants were applied for through the state’s Water Sector Program.

This led to the new, merged system to receive approximately $10-million in grant monies to drill two new water wells in Rhinehart, upgrade booster stations, redo creek crossings, new storage tanks, new meters, and more.

As noted previously, the first two phases of the massive project have been approved and are about to be let out for bids and the fourth phase, the drilling of the two new wells, should be underway soon as the location has now been settled.

For any questions about the Nebo Water System, please contact JCP Management in Harrisonburg at (318) 744-0308.