52 SYSTEMS WERE PUMPED OUT AS OF THE END OF THE PROJECT IN SEPTEMBER 2018

The goal of this project was to restore or partially restore water quality of the Boston Canal in the Vermilion River Basin to meet its designated uses.  Producers were eligible to receive financial assistance for applying soil and water conservation practices.
This project includes over 10,000 acres south of Erath.  Some of the eligible practices include cover crops, pipe drops, managed field borders for sugar cane, fencing, livestock shade structures, and home sewer pump outs.

The project was a voluntary conservation program jointly administered by the Vermilion SWCD and the LA Dept. of Ag & Forestry-Office of Soil and Water Conservation with technical assistance supplied by the USDA-NRCS.  To participate producers applied for cost-share assistance to perform the conservation work on the land.  Each application was ranked according to the environmental benefits derived from the installation of conservation practices. 

A second phase of the Boston Canal 319 Project was the homeowner septic system pump out phase.  EPA has determined that rural communities with aged septic systems are known to be a significant contributor to pollution.  A failing septic system can discharge more than 75,000 gallons of untreated wastewater into ground and surface water annually.  To address this issue the district accepted applications from homeowners in the project area who wanted to have their septic tanks pumped out at no cost to the homeowner.  The homeowner choose the contractor they wish to complete the pump out, the district then scheduled the contractor to complete the pump out.  Once the pump out was complete, the district then payed the contractor for his services.