History and Service

LUS was created to improve the quality of life of Lafayette residents. In 1896, a majority of the population petitioned the mayor and city council to call an election. "We the undersigned constituting more than one-third of the property taxpayers of the incorporated town of Lafayette, Louisiana, believing that a water supply and means of lighting our town and streets are urgent public necessities, and understanding the established rates of taxation to be insufficient to obtain these benefits, hereby petition you as the governing body of said town to levy and collect an increased rate of taxation, . . . for the purpose of procuring, constructing and operating a waterworks and electric light-system therein. . ." By 1897, the Grant Street plant was completed and generating electricity. Water and wastewater services followed soon after.

LUS Electric Facts

• More than 62,000 retail customers
• More than 828 miles of primary distribution line
• Sales of nearly 2 billion retail and wholesale kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year
• Annual peak of approximately 483 Megawatts
• Louis "Doc" Bonin Generating Station (gas-fired) with a gross capacity of 295 Megawatts
• Rodemacher Generating Station (coal-fired) located in Boyce, Louisiana; 50% ownership (246 Megawatts)
• T. J. Labbé Generating Station (gas-fired) with a gross capacity of 100 Megawatts
• Hargis-Hébert Generating Station (gas-fired) with a gross capacity of 100 Megawatts

LUS Water Facts

• More than 51,000 retail customers
• Four water production facilities with a capacity totaling 47 million gallons and an average daily production of 22.5 million gallons
• Chicot Aquifer water source
• More than 957 miles of water distribution pipe
• Historical peak production of 31.1 million gallons (June 3, 2011)

View the 2010 LUS Water Quality Report
View historic LUS Water Quality Reports

LUS Wastewater Facts

• More than 41,000 retail customers
• Four treatment plants with a total daily capacity of 18.5 million gallons
• More than 560 miles of collection pipe and 148 lift stations

LUS Fiber Telecommunications (LUSFiber.com)

LUS Fiber Video, Internet and Phone:

• Lafayette's only 100% fiber optic network
• Enhanced television programming, the fastest Internet speeds and crystal-clear phone service
• Includes more than 83,500 miles of glass fiber in the city alone

LUS POWERED NETWORK (Wholesale Broadband):

• Utilized for LUS electric transmission and distribution system communication to maintain a high level of power reliability for the community
• Remaining fiber available to wholesale telecommunications customers to facilitate broadband and high-speed Internet access