Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 56 - PUBLIC WORKS › Part III - Flood Control and Water Management › Subpart 1 - Water Resources and Flood Control › Chapter 1 - Funding of Water Resources › Subchapter A - Priorities for Funding of Water Resources Projects › Section III-105 - Priority Policy

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A. It is
					 intended that the project priority evaluation and rating system provided for in
					 this rule shall support the objective of the Louisiana Water Resources Program
					 to provide an adequate and safe supply of water to Louisiana users through a
					 policy and program addressing the short term and long term availability of and
					 need for water. The priority system is to be used to allocate scarce state
					 resources to the most worthy projects, and thereby assist entities in obtaining
					 for their constituencies needed water supply and water pollution control
					 facilities.
B. The provision of
					 assistance by the state is not intended to supplant any responsibilities
					 delegated to entities for the construction, operation and maintenance of water
					 supply and water pollution control facilities. It is expected that entities
					 shall continue to provide such facilities where needed and to pay for them to
					 the extent of their capabilities. State assistance is intended as a source of
					 funds for projects which otherwise lack sufficient local, federal and private
					 funding, and as an incentive to provide water resource facilities needed to
					 achieve statewide water resources program objectives.
C. Entities sponsoring projects are expected
					 to seek and use federal grant assistance for project construction to the
					 fullest extent such funds are available or expected to become available. It is
					 specifically intended that priority funds shall not pay project cost share
					 eligible for payment through federal grant assistance programs.
D. Entities are expected to finance water
					 supply and sewerage projects without capital outlay assistance from the state
					 to the extent of their capabilities. Entities should use ad valorem taxes,
					 revenues generated from the project and private donations to obtain an optimum
					 level of capital funds from local sources. The maximum level of state grant
					 assistance under the program is 25 percent of the project construction
					 costs.
E. The priority system is
					 intended to achieve an equitable and fair distribution of any available funds
					 considering needs of the area to be served by projects and the benefits to be
					 realized in comparison to the needs of other areas requesting assistance. Past
					 and present effort by entities to limit waste and conserve water are considered
					 in priority assessment.
F. Entities
					 may not obtain priority for funding of projects which provide facilities that
					 over extend technical and financial capability to operate and maintain
					 properly. Priority based on need shall not accrue to an entity because of
					 negligence in the operation and maintenance of existing facilities, or failure
					 to control wastage through appropriate water conservation measures such as
					 consumer metering, leak control, etc.
AUTHORITY NOTE:
						Promulgated in accordance with
						R.S. 38:30 et
						seq.