Change ahead for the S&WB? Here’s how a proposed law could reshape the troubled utility.
By Jerry DiColo
Source: The Times-Picayune | Nola.com
April 3, 2024
A New Orleans lawmaker late Tuesday submitted a bill that would make sweeping changes to how the Sewerage & Water Board is governed, shifting power from Mayor LaToya Cantrell towards state and local officials who would temporarily oversee reforms of the beleaguered utility.
House Bill 941, sponsored by state Rep. Alonzo Knox, D-New Orleans, would create an 11-member board that would take over responsibility from the S&WB’s current governing board for one year, starting in January, to enact a series of reforms.
The bill, which would need to be approved by the Louisiana Legislature and signed by Gov. Jeff Landry, is largely in line with a recommendation for a state-led takeover of the S&WB that came from Landry’s task force on the agency.
But New Orleans officials have been critical of the proposal, and on Tuesday, before the bill was submitted, S&WB Executive Director Ghassan Korban called the concept “very, very disruptive.”
Here are answers to some of the key questions about the proposed takeover and how the S&WB got to this point.
What started the latest call for S&WB reforms?
The S&WB has long faced the ire of New Orleans residents for street flooding and billing errors. Citing what he called “the frequent failures” of the agency, Landry issued an executive order in February and created a 14-member task force to propose potentially sweeping reforms of how the utility is managed.
The move riled some New Orleans City Council members, who didn’t receive any seats on the task force and questioned why Landry, a conservative Republican, was looking to overhaul a local utility in the heavily Democratic city.
What did the task force say?
Last week, the task force issued a 24-page report detailing the long-standing issues at the S&WB related to billing, drainage and an oversight structure that splits responsibility between the mayor, the City Council and the state.
Among recommendations to create a new way to handle billing disputes and change the split-oversight structure, the group called for a state-led takeover of the agency via a “recovery district” that would strip the local board of power for two years in order to enact the changes.
The task force also called for the city’s drainage system to be consolidated inside the S&WB. Currently, the Department of Public Works is responsible for cleaning catch basins and maintaining other pipes that lead to the S&WB’s larger canals, culverts and pumping stations.
That split has often led to finger-pointing when New Orleans streets flood during heavy rains, particularly in recent years as catch basin cleaning has lagged far behind what’s needed to keep the system working efficiently.
What was Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s response?
Cantrell, who controls the S&WB’s board, serves as its president and appointed its current executive director, has remained largely silent about the move by Landry to strip the local board of oversight.
But City Council members and other local groups have criticized the move, arguing that reforms are already underway.
“The district’s new board members would face a steep learning curve. The current board has worked for several years to improve its governance of the utility and plan for the future. That momentum could be lost,” Mowbray said.
How about Landry?
Other than issuing the executive order, Landry has declined to comment on the S&WB or the task force report.
Paul Rainwater, the chairman of Landry’s task force, suggested last week that New Orleans might be able to avoid a state-led takeover if it moved quickly to enact his group’s recommendations.
What would Knox’s bill do?
Knox’s bill would create an 11-member board, made up of officials appointed by the governor, leaders of the state legislature, local New Orleans officials, business leaders and others that would assume responsibility from the current overseers of the S&WB.
The makeup of the board appears to split power between state-level officials and local political leaders. But it would end Cantrell’s control of the agency for most of the rest of her term because she would only have a single board appointment.
The new panel would take over for one year, starting in January, and would “assume all of the responsibilities” of the S&WB’s current overseers.
The panel would oversee all aspects of the S&WB’s operations, and would be required to “develop and implement reforms” aimed at accountability, improving drainage, pumping and power systems, ensuring water testing accuracy, weighing new funding such as a stormwater fee and handling other issues.
Knox said in a text message that “the citizens (my neighbors in particular) of New Orleans have repeatedly requested that we do something that would comprehensively address the myriad of issues of SWBNO. That’s what this bill aims to do.”
What happens next?
The Louisiana Legislature will take up the measure, which could be amended. If it passes the House and Senate and is signed by Landry, it will become law and take effect in January.
Staff writer Ben Myers contributed to this report.
Fair Use Notice
This site occasionally reprints copyrighted material, the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We make such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of issues and to highlight the accomplishments of our affiliates. We believe this constitutes a “fair use” of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is available without profit. For more information go to: US CODE: Title 17,107. Limitations on exclusive rights: Fair use. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond “fair use,” you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.