In a Capitol Commentary submitted to the Senate Local and Municipal Affairs Committee on May 6, 2026, BGR urged policymakers to ensure that House Bill 1243, which would give the New Orleans City Council sweeping authority over the Sewerage and Water Board, is paired with a deliberate plan for the transition. BGR has no position on the bill.
THE ISSUE
BGR has long identified the S&WB’s governance structure as a root cause of its chronic performance problems. The utility has operational responsibility for New Orleans’ water, sewer, and drainage systems, but the City Council controls funding. Over decades, that misalignment has contributed to deteriorating infrastructure that residents and businesses are now paying to fix.
BGR’s 2023 report, Waterworks in Progress, found that bringing the S&WB into City government is feasible, but that issues like bonds, civil service, and pensions require careful planning. Moving forward and planning carefully are not in conflict.
UPDATE: MAY 7, 2026
HB1243 passed unanimously out of Committee and will advance to the full Senate. BGR testified at the hearing and was glad to learn that Mayor Moreno plans to establish a working group to guide the transition if the bill becomes law.