GEISMAR — Residents in the Preserve at Dutchtown neighborhood say their quality of life has been upended by ongoing failures at the neighborhood’s wastewater treatment plant, which they claim has been neglected since National Water Infrastructure took over operations a year and a half ago.
The plant, which services the Preserve at Dutchtown, the neighboring Old Dutchtown subdivision, and an adjacent apartment complex, is operating at only a fraction of its capacity. According to longtime resident Jodie Hebert, only one of the plant’s four aerators (pumps) is functioning. The result is a stench so strong that families say they can no longer enjoy the outdoors, and in many cases, the odor seeps inside their homes through drains.
“We can’t walk out of our homes. It penetrates into our houses, coming up from the drains. It’s God awful,” Hebert said.
The problems extend beyond foul odors. When the plant or lift station malfunctions, neighbors say sewage has backed up through manholes and spilled into neighborhood streets. Hebert said she has personally witnessed company workers respond by sprinkling chemicals on the raw sewage before leaving, without proper cleanup.
“We have residents who walk here, kids riding bikes, kids playing, and they come out here and sprinkle something on it and walk away. Raw sewer is just left on the streets,” she said. “We shouldn’t have to live with this continuous smell, odor, and raw sewage all around us.”
Sewage: How it Works
A lift system is designed to move liquids — such as wastewater or sewage — from lower elevations to higher ones, allowing proper flow through treatment plants or drainage systems. This process relies on pumps that push the liquid through pipes to prevent backups.
When a pump malfunctions, the system can fail to operate as intended, leading to serious consequences such as sewage backups, overflows, foul odors, and potential health hazards. In large-scale systems, prolonged pump failure can result in environmental contamination and costly repairs, underscoring the importance of proper maintenance and timely repairs.
According to Hebert, the pumps in their area have malfunctioned and she says NWI confirmed it.
“The neighbor that lives next to me cared for the whole system when the previous owner had it, he got on the ladder, looked over the fence, and he could see there’s one aerator (pump) working. He knows it like the back of his hand,” she shared. “Then the company did verify that.”
Something smells fishy: Allegations of Neglect
Neighbors say the situation has been deteriorating since NWI purchased the plant. Hebert’s next-door neighbor, who previously managed the facility for 15 years, reported that in the past, all four aerators ran properly without issues. Since the takeover, equipment failures have become routine, and explanations from the company have been inconsistent.
On one occasion, Hebert said she was told the system had failed due to a power outage, even though the surrounding neighborhood never lost electricity. Another time, she was told a clogged filter was to blame.
“They lie. They try to cover themselves up,” Hebert said. “They’re putting Band-Aids on it instead of fixing the problem.”
Frustrated by the lack of progress, Hebert has contacted the Environmental Protection Agency multiple times. Inspectors have intervened, but residents say the fixes never last. Hebert now plans to pursue legal action, citing health and safety concerns.
Hebert, who has an autoimmune disease that leaves her without a sinus, says the stinky situation could be threatening to her health.
“I have an autoimmune disease, and I don’t have a sinus which protects you from disease. There’s raw sewer all in that culvert, and they were out there looking at it and taking samples out of it,” she shared.
Hebert claims some of their gloves were discarded in her trash can.
NWI’s Response
In response to inquiries about these issues, NWI acknowledged past overflows at the Preserve at Dutchtown plant, attributing them to “power quality issues” that caused lift station backups. NWI said its crews service the site daily, Monday through Friday, and respond promptly when problems occur, including cleaning and disinfecting affected areas and repairing equipment.
Hebert tells UWK she was made aware of the alleged power issues.
“The last time it went down, about a week ago, they told me, ‘Oh, we lost electricity.’ I said, ‘Well, that’s strange. None of us did.’”
Something Stinks in Ascension: A Widespread Problem
The Preserve at Dutchtown is not the only community reporting problems with NWI. Residents in Myrtle Grove Subdivision, roughly three miles away, say their sewage pump has broken down repeatedly for the past two years.
In an interview last summer, one resident, who asked not to be named, said the company admitted the pump serving their neighborhood is too small and frequently overworked.
“It just keeps breaking—the pipes are busting, and it’ll spray out sewage or flood our yard entirely,” the resident said.
Like Hebert, Myrtle Grove residents describe NWI’s response as slow and unprofessional, leaving families to endure raw sewage backups for days at a time.
“It’s just been ongoing for so long now and I mean the company will come out and repair it but they take too long in my opinion,” the Myrtle Grove resident shared. “A bandaid is being put on the situation each and every time. If it were being repaired, it would not continue breaking as often as it does.”
Oak Alley Estates has also reported issues with their lift station. Neighbors have reported their station making loud noises and a foul odor that have been reported to NWI. According to some residents, the noises are reportedly above the decibel allowance for Osha.
Raw Deal: Previous Promises
These complaints come as NWI continues to face scrutiny over its handling of Ascension Parish’s sewer system. Last year, the company abandoned plans to build a large regional wastewater treatment plant near the Dutchtown area following community backlash. The proposed site drew heavy opposition from nearby neighborhoods concerned about odors and property values.
NWI pledged to work with parish leaders to find an alternative location in a heavy industrial zone. At that time, Parish President Clint Cointment expressed optimism that consolidating smaller, outdated treatment plants into a modern regional facility would eventually improve conditions parish-wide.
In a statement this week regarding longterm solutions, NWI said it is exploring real-time alert systems for power quality issues and remains in the design phase of the Ascension Parish Sewer Regionalization Project, which would replace approximately 72 small treatment plants, including the one at Old Dutchtown, with a larger regional facility located in the Heavy Industrial Corridor.
What is the Ascension Parish Sewer Regionalization Project?
The Ascension Parish Sewer Regionalization Project is a long-term initiative designed to address significant environmental and financial challenges caused by the parish’s lack of a regional sewer system.
NWI told UWK that aging neighborhood wastewater treatment plants, that are currently scattered throughout Ascension Parish, strain local resources and contribute to environmental degradation, with untreated sewage often impacting waterways. Under the project, NWI says they plan to build a modern, state-of-the-art regional wastewater treatment plant capable of removing 4 million gallons of treated wastewater daily, improving drainage capacity, and decommissioning 72 smaller neighborhood plants.
Officials and leaders—including Parish President Clint Cointment, Senator Ed Price, and Ascension Parish Council Chair Chase Melancon—have praised the project, calling it a “monumental” step for the parish that will improve water quality, protect public health, and benefit future generations.
The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality has deemed it “necessary and urgent.” The proposed site, located in the parish’s heavy industrial corridor, meets strict environmental and logistical criteria and will feature advanced odor control technology, minimal traffic impact, and an advanced monitoring system to ensure operational efficiency.
NWI anticipates completion of the first phase by the fourth quarter of 2028 and says the project will provide “significant environmental improvements” and infrastructure upgrades.
MORE: Proposed wastewater treatment plant site in Ascension now looking for new location
Pipe dreams or Real Change? What happens next?
For residents like Hebert, promises of long-term solutions ring hollow as sewage continues to spill into their streets. The company says they are still going to continue to service the area’s needs.
“NWI will continue to service this site daily, reset and repair equipment in a timely manner, and pursue long-term improvements,” the company said in a statement.
Hebert says she and her neighbors have exhausted every option, from countless phone calls to parish leaders and state agencies, to pressing the company directly. With no lasting solution in sight, she is now considering legal action.
“It’s not fixed. I live here, I’ve lived with it for 15 years, and I know what’s going on. We’ve called and called. We can’t keep living like this,” she said.
As Ascension Parish continues to grow, residents say the stakes are high. Without stronger oversight and accountability, they fear that failing sewer infrastructure will only get worse long before it gets better—spreading beyond their neighborhoods and into waterways that affect the wider community.
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