The following has been released to Q93 from the City of Pineville:
As a new work week commences we are grateful that Pineville residents are pulling together to help one another as we recover from the devastating effects of Hurricane Laura.
“Pineville is accustomed to being a place of refuge for those impacted by hurricanes but this time we are the ones being impacted,” said Pineville Mayor Clarence Fields. “We’ve seen tremendous efforts by our public works crews and public safety employees to maintain city services and keep our citizens safe. We’re especially thankful for Cleco and their many supporting contractors from 16 other states who are restoring power to our region, including roughly half our city. As we move forward into this recovery let us continue to work together until all of our citizens are fully restored.”
Pineville Public Works Director Charlie Moore confirmed that 9 of our 10 water wells have electrical service, either through Cleco or specialized generators and our water system is not in danger of losing pressure due to lack of power. “We are still under a boil advisory until further notice,” said Moore. “We urge citizens to boil drinking water or use bottled water for consumption.”
On Saturday the City of Pineville distributed roughly half of the 1,500 cases of water that were donated by Plastipak Packaging, with another distribution being planned shortly. We have also secured 44,000 pounds of ice that are being transported to Pineville today for a distribution to be announced shortly.
“Unfortunately, the sewer system is still somewhat limited due to power only being available to roughly 1/3 of our 80+ sewer lift stations,” said Moore. “We do appreciate the citizens’ efforts to reduce impact on the sewer system as much as possible.” If you are aware of a sewer backup please send a message to the City of Pineville, LA Facebook page as phone service is not fully restored.
Garbage (household waste) and trash (yard debris) services are back on their regular service schedules, but some areas may not be able to be serviced due to inaccessibility by our large trucks. We urge citizens to NOT mix household waste or construction debris with yard waste as these materials go to different landfills.
Pineville Chief of Staff Rich Dupree announced that in partnership with the Central Louisiana Chamber of Commerce and Proctor & Gamble FREE laundry services will soon be available at Washland Laundromat, 2651 Hwy 28E for residents still without power. He also shared that Proctor & Gamble has donated additional bottles of water to be distributed and Atmos is providing additional ice to be distributed throughout the city. “We are grateful for these corporate partners that recognize the immense need around us and step forward with their unique contributions to help others in time of need,” said Dupree. “We look forward to announcing these additional distribution details soon and encourage residents to watch our Facebook page for details.”
Please note that City Hall is closed to the public until Wednesday, September 2. In addition, our phone service is not fully restored. Citizens can contact the city through our Facebook page. Residents or businesses who need assistance can contact FEMA at 1-800-621-3362
“In trying times like these we must pull together as a city and as individuals to help one another,” said Mayor Fields. “But it’s also in times like these that we see the best in one another. I’m especially proud of our City of Pineville employees, many of whom have gone without sleep, without power, and who have put off taking care of their own homes in order to serve our citizens. And that truly makes me #PinevilleProud!”
Please continue to follow the City of Pineville Facebook page for up to the minute announcements and updates.
