FERRIDAY, La. – State health officials have said Ferriday must make improvements to its water plant before flushing water lines, Town Attorney John Sturgeon told the Town Council Tuesday.

And those lines must be flushed before the State Office of Public Health can even consider lifting a boil water notice effect for the town since Aug. 20.

The improvements will include placing large plastic beads in the plant’s filters and repairing chemical pumps and lines. Sending out requests for quotes on labor alone will take two weeks, Sturgeon said.

&uot;I wouldn’t even try to estimate when we may be flushing the lines,&uot;&160;he said.

When the town tried to flush its lines last week, a six-inch water main broke and was repaired, only to break again the next day in a different place. Once the repairs were finished, Office of Public Health officials said the town should wait to resume flushing the lines until crews make repairs that increase how much water the plant can produce.

That way, the town will have adequate water on hand to flush the lines out twice, Sturgeon said.

Early in the meeting, the Town Council passed a resolution to hold a hearing in its Dec. 14 to get public comment on its plans to issue up to $415,000 in bonds to improve wastewater facilities.

The hearing was to be held during the council’s Oct. 12 meeting. But since a majority of members did not show up, the meeting was not held.

The council passed a resolution to refinance more than $1.7 million in water bonds at a 5.5 percent interest rate. It is estimated that the change would save $20,000 a year.

Also, council members voted to set the town’s property tax at 17.17 mills, the same as last year.