PIERRE PART - Heavy equipment is being used over the weekend as Assumption Parish crews work long hours installing huge pumps to reduce high water that was threatening dozens of homes.

"We're putting in 12-14 hour days now, working as long as we can," Assumption Parish Homeland Security and Emergency Operations Director John Boudreaux said.

Some local homeowners worked in chest-deep water to help parish workers put a pump in place off Highway 70.

"We're going to have a pump on both sides of this community to help lower the water levels," Boudreaux said.

A second pump has been installed on Bayou Drive on the other side of Highway 70, where the water has been up for five days.

"It's gone down about an inch and half since we've been pumping today," homeowner Lenny Tramonte said.

Tramonte has seen a lot of flooding over the years in Pierre Part, but nothing like this current level of water.

"I've been in this house for 13 years, and I've never seen the water this high," Tramonte said.

The pumps are temporary, but local homeowners want to make them permanent. Neighborhood residents also hope to have their street elevated to an even level.

"This road needs to be elevated to the same elevation of the rest of the road, and that can act as a levee and hold the water back from the bayou," Tramonte said.

Emergency officials say it could be two weeks before the water in the area recedes back to normal levels.