The New Iberia City Council weighed in on a new trend developing for residents and businesses prepping for a hurricane.

While preparing for Hurricane Barry, Mayor Freddie DeCourt, said one resident and one business owner asked for assistance from the New Iberia Fire Department to fill water for an aqua dam.

“This is the second time since I’ve been the mayor that people have bought aqua dams that they fill up with water to protect from flooding,” DeCourt said. “They’ve asked if we could fill them because the quantity of water it takes really comes out of a fire truck or hydrant.”

DeCourt said it was a service the city has provided, as long as the property owner pays the city for the service.

“I thought I should bring it up because it’s something that is a service and it is unusual, these things probably cost between $10-15,000, I don’t think there’s going to be many of them,” DeCourt said.

“I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it, but I think the council ought to be aware of it,” legal counsel Jeff Simons said. “If we get full value for the service I don’t see anything wrong with doing it but we wanted to see if the council had any serious questions or objections.”

Councilwoman Natalie Lopez said there could be several potential problems with the arrangement.

“Things become a problem when you make special circumstances for two people in town,” Lopez said.

“Next year there are four people and the storm’s coming but the two people who came last year think they should get the water first because they’re the veterans. We’ve got stuff to do people, especially in a storm.”

New Iberia Fire Department Chief Gordon Copell said if more aqua dams did show up in New Iberia, there probably would have to be some regulation.

“I assume what would happen if this becomes a trend, we would have the homeowner or property owner sign a cooperative endeavor agreement,” Copell said. “If it does get out of hand we’ll have to adjust the rules.”

Copell said the service doesn’t take much manpower and pump trucks weren’t being used, which eased Lopez’s fear it could distract the NIFD during a possible emergency situation.

In other business, DeCourt also announced the filming of a Lifetime movie within city limits in the near future.

“It’s something we’ve been working on for about a month. They’re coming and we’re in the process of giving them everything from bed and breakfasts to block hotels,” DeCourt said.

DeCourt said the production company came as a result of tax credits put in place several months ago, and he hoped the opportunity to more movies being filmed in New Iberia.

“I’m very excited, I think it’ll promote our community in a positive light,” DeCourt said. “To all those people on KATC who put those negative comments, of those 400 about 300 were pretty darn lame. We know we’re a special community and our community has come together like never before.”