Belmont is an unincorporated community in Sabine Parish, Louisiana. The small community is located at the junction of Highways 120 and 175. Belmont is located in the Western-most side of the state and . Locals enjoy Belmont’s nature, shopping, and entertainment.
The town of Belmont relies on Belmont Waterworks Inc. for its safe water. Belmont Waterworks was constructed in 1994 and served 980 customers in Sabine Parish. The funding to build the system was from privately owned companies.
In 2023, Belmont Waterworks contacted Communities Unlimited (CU) Lending Department for a loan to assist them with water system improvements. They had been issued an outstanding Administrative Order to comply with Disinfection By-Products rule from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
This By-Product is caused by chlorine and organics in the well water, so extra aeration was needed to allow limits within the EPA levels. A sanitary survey also noted that the storage tank at their central pump station had holes in the sidewalls.
CU started working with the system to devise a solution for their issues.
CU assisted the system and the state of Louisiana Water Sector Program with matching funds to help replace their central pump station at LA Highway 175 and the ground storage tank and generator at the main pump station. They also installed an aerator at the new ground storage tank at the LA Highway 175 site and an aerator at the ground tank at their other pump station, the Mitchell site, to treat disinfection byproducts.
Communities Unlimited Louisiana State Coordinator Chris Brunson has worked with Belmont Waterworks off and on for over 25 years, assisting them with different technical needs, and has worked with Belmont’s Manager, Randy Byrd, during all those years.
“CU worked with this system several years back, and Belmont has grown through the years. They have always had the mindset of continually improving.”
— Chris Brunson, CU Louisiana State Coordinator
Belmont Waterworks Inc. closed on its loan in early June 2023. Belmont’s Operator, Randy Byrd, is excited about what the CU loan will mean to the community. “We will be able to redo the whole plant with this money. The CU Loan process was the quickest I have ever seen done.”, Randy concluded.
