About Consent Decree

Clean Water Shreveport

Clean Water Shreveport is a multi-year program that is the City of Shreveport’s formal effort to comply with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) regulations under the Federal Clean Water Act (CWA). The program helps protect our community’s environment and improves the water and sewer infrastructure of our city.

Shreveport’s sanitary sewer system consists of 1,100-miles of pipe and 120 pump (lift) stations. This infrastructure conveys untreated sewage through our city to two treatment facilities for processing. Contaminants are removed by the treatment facilities and treated water is discharged into the Red River.

Our sewer system is old and has deteriorated over time. Parts of it are undersized and in poor condition. Some of the pipes leak due to corrosion from sewer gases, cracking or breaking from shifting soil, or even stress from blockages within the pipe. These issues have caused sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs) to occur throughout our city. When this happens, untreated sewage can be released onto the ground or into waterways.

Our sanitary sewer system must be updated to meet regulatory standards. In 2014, the City entered into a Consent Decree with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). The Consent Decree addresses the City’s aging wastewater collection system and resulting discharges.

Consent Decree Timeline

Initiation of Consent Decree

May 13, 2014

In 2014, the City of Shreveport entered into a Consent Decree with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). The Consent Decree requires that the City repair defects in the sanitary sewer system to eliminate Sanitary Sewer Overflows. Work must be completed within a 12-year compliance schedule ending on November 12, 2026.

Phase 1 Projects Under Construction

2016-2019

The City of Shreveport constructed 30 total projects within SSA Phase 1 with an estimated cost of approximately $190,270,000. All 30 projects have reached final completion. The City of Shreveport began construction in various areas in 2016 working within 9 neighborhoods including Allendale, Cedar Grove, and Hollywood Heights.

Phase 2 Project Under Construction

2018-2020

A total of 17 projects were developed based for Phase 2 with a total cost of $114,395,205 . All 17 projects have reached final completion and work was done in five neighborhoods including Lakeside, Querbes, Highlands, and Queensborough.

Project Management Transition

Sept 1, 2019

The City of Shreveport changed Program Managers during Year 6. Burns & McDonell Engineering Company, Bonton Associates, Sustainable Design Solutions, and Envision Media & Marketing were appointed as the new Program Management Team. As a part of the transition, the newly appointed team completed a review of the City's Consent Decree compliance, technical approach, and program affordability.

Consent Decree Program Funding

2019-2020

The City's understanding of the financial resources required to accomplish a project of this magnitude have grown significantly since its inception. The initial estimate for the overall cost associated with the Consent Decree was estimated at $350 million dollars. However, further investigation of the sewer system found substantially more defects and costs associated with repairs than originally imagined.

Critical Projects

2019-2020

A total of 19 projects were selected and termed critcal by the City of Shreveport, many of which were presumed to eliminate by-pass pumping operations and mitigate pipe collapses. The estimated cost of the projects was $70,630,753. These 19 projects are essential to maintaining reliable water and wastewater utility services.

Phase 3 Design Packages Developed

2020-2021

Design packages were constructed for the 14 projects that were developed for Phase 3, with an estimated construction cost of $172,930,000. Of the 14 projects, one has reached final completion.

Additional Critical Projects

2020-2021

The City of Shreveport identified 23 additional projects that were included in the Critical Projects Portfolio. These projects were identified through continued capital planning activities, that focused projects on SSO mitigation, compliance, and maintaining reliable wastewater and water utility systems.

Current Consent Decree Deadline

2026

Current Consent Decree Deadline

2026

Analyze & Repair

Analyze the entire collection system and repair all sewer defects under 5 Phases of work in the first 9 Years.

Implement

Implement a Capacity Management Operations and Maintenance (CMOM) Program within Year 1.

Reassess

Reassess Phases 1, 2, and 3 again in Years 8-12 and address any new defects.

Analyze & Improve

Analyze the sanitary sewer system and construct additional conveyance capacity improvements where necessary to eliminate SSOs and treatment plant overloading by Year 12.