PARKS, LA — Business owners in Parks, Louisiana, are facing an urgent deadline to comply with new water safety regulations, or risk losing access to a critical resource—water. The issue stems from the mandatory installation of backflow preventers, a crucial component in safeguarding the town’s water system.
Mayor Kevin Kately emphasized that the requirement for businesses to install backflow preventers is not arbitrary but a necessary measure in accordance with both local and state plumbing codes. The backflow preventers, which are designed to ensure that contaminated water does not flow back into the system, are required for all commercial water services as well as residential lawn sprinklers and irrigation systems.
“You have to have it, it’s not something that Kevin Kately made up, not something that the village of Parks made up, it’s the plumbing code rules,” said Kately. “It’s about protecting the water system and making sure we’re giving the people safe water.”
The backflow preventers serve as a safeguard, particularly for businesses like restaurants and hair salons, where the risk of contaminated water is higher. According to Kately, these devices are essential for maintaining the health and safety of the entire community by preventing backflow that could potentially contaminate the water supply.
Local business owner D.J. Peltier, who operates Qwik Stop Café, shared his experience with the installation process. “I received a letter from the mayor. Once I saw the importance of it, I said yes, I definitely want to get this installed in my establishment. It cost me $1,500 to get installed, definitely worth every penny of it being that I’m serving the public,” Peltier said. “I just want to make sure everything is safe.”
However, despite some business owners taking the necessary steps to comply, many have yet to install the required equipment. Kately explained that the issue became more urgent when the state began grading the water systems in local communities. “It became an issue when they started grading our water system,” Kately said. “We want to make sure the people put it in, and also we have to look at it as a water system to ensure that we’re giving safe and not contaminated water.”
In recent years, the focus on water safety has increased significantly. While the installation of backflow preventers may not have been a top priority in the past, the state’s stricter water safety protocols now make it a critical issue. Kately explained that failure to comply could result in significant penalties, including a reduction in the community’s water safety grade. “If you don’t have it, that could be 10 points that they’re taking away from 100 points,” he said.
To avoid such penalties, Kately urged businesses to act quickly. Notices will be mailed to non-compliant businesses as early as this month, warning them of the potential consequences of failing to install the backflow preventers. The mayor stressed that the village is not looking to penalize businesses but rather to work with them to ensure compliance.
“We want to work with them, we don’t want anybody’s service cut off,” Kately said. “We want to try to work with them to understand and let them know how important it is to have this installed.”
As the deadline for compliance approaches, business owners in Parks are urged to take immediate action to ensure the continued safety of their water supply and to avoid losing access to this vital service.