In Melville, located in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, progress is no longer a plan. It’s underway.

On April 6, town leaders, residents, and partners gathered for a groundbreaking ceremony marking the start of long-awaited water system improvements. The project, backed by more than $7.19 million in total investment, includes $4.39 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development — made up of a $1,166,000 loan and a $3,224,000 grant — along with an additional $2.8 million from the Louisiana Water Sector Program, administered by the Office of Community Development–Local Government Assistance.

“The groundbreaking has been a long time coming,” said Mayor Caretta Robertson. “I’m just so proud of everybody. I’m too happy right now. This is something good for the Town of Melville.”

A Long Road to Get Here

Melville’s journey to this moment has been anything but easy.

For years, the town faced ongoing challenges — outdated infrastructure, incomplete financial records, leadership turnover, and compliance issues that stalled critical funding. At one point, federal partners and engineers had even considered de-obligating the funds altogether.

“We didn’t have our audits done, and we were on the non-compliance list,” Mayor Robertson said. “It took us a long time to get everything corrected. If you’re on that list, you can’t get projects like this.”

Still, the town didn’t stop.

Turning the Corner

Behind the scenes, steady work was already reshaping the town’s future.

Over the past three years, the Community Infrastructure Team at Communities Unlimited (CU) partnered closely with Melville’s leadership to rebuild its administrative and financial foundation — completing audits, stabilizing billing practices, and restoring compliance.

That work didn’t just unlock funding. It changed the town’s trajectory.

Just a few years ago, Melville’s utility system was operating deep in the red. In 2023, the town reported a deficit of more than $86,000. By 2024, that gap had been cut nearly in half. And in 2025, Melville was projected to finish at around $28,000 in the green.

In total, the town achieved a $110,000 turnaround in just two years. If current trends hold, Melville is projected to continue that upward path in 2026.

Persistence That Paid Off

At the center of that progress is persistence — both from town leadership and from CU’s technical assistance.

CU Management Specialist Stacey Scarce worked alongside Melville officials through every step of the process, helping navigate documentation, regulatory requirements, and communication with federal partners.

That perseverance ultimately proved to funders that Melville was ready to move forward.

Fixing What Was Broken

The project now underway will address some of the town’s most persistent challenges.

For decades, Melville operated without water meters — relying instead on a flat-rate billing system that often left residents, particularly seniors, paying more than they should.

“Right now, everybody pays the same flat rate — even if they don’t use much water,” Robertson said. “That’s hard, especially for our seniors.”

The installation of radio-read meters will bring long-overdue change, introducing fair, usage-based billing while improving accountability across the system.

“I think this will help our seniors the most,” Robertson said. “Some of them might go from paying around $100 a month to maybe $20.”

Beyond billing, the project will modernize critical infrastructure throughout the system. Improvements include a new water production well, rehabilitation of existing wells, replacement of aging water mains, installation of new hydrants, upgrades to chlorination systems, and structural improvements to the town’s elevated water tank.

Together, these upgrades will improve reliability, reduce water loss, and strengthen the system for the long term.

A Community That Didn’t Quit

For Robertson, the moment is about the people who made it possible.

“I’m just so proud of our team — our clerk, our assistant clerk, and everybody who supported us,” she said. “This isn’t just one project. This is about getting our town back to where it needs to be.”

That progress didn’t happen alone.

With construction now underway, Melville is already looking ahead.

“Next is the roads,” Robertson said. “This is just the beginning. With better water and better roads, we can bring more businesses into Melville — and that brings more revenue into our town.”

Melville’s story is no longer about what it lacked. It’s about what it built — through persistence, partnership, and a commitment to moving forward.