Louisiana Enacts Sweeping Accountability Reforms Over New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board

BATON ROUGE, LA — Sweeping statutory accountability reforms governing the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans (SWBNO) under Act 398 officially took full legal effect across Orleans Parish, establishing independent billing protections for residential ratepayer accounts.

Ending Erroneous Water Bill Shocks and Protecting Homeowners

The enacted statute mandates that SWBNO automatically freeze billing collection and late fees whenever a customer files a formal dispute regarding estimated meter readings that exceed historical averages by more than 25%. The law creates the position of an Independent Utility Ombudsperson within the Louisiana Public Service Commission to adjudicate ratepayer grievances and requires the utility to submit quarterly stormwater pumping readiness reports to the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD).

Legislative sponsors stated that New Orleans residents have suffered through years of erroneous billing shocks and pumping failures, demanding enforceable state statutory oversight.

Ratepayer Advocacy and City Leadership Perspectives

New Orleans ratepayer advocacy coalitions celebrated the statutory billing dispute freezes for preventing wrongful water shutoffs.

SWBNO leadership confirmed the ongoing installation of 140,000 automated smart water meters to eliminate estimated manual billing.

Enforcement Deadlines

The Independent Utility Ombudsperson began accepting ratepayer billing disputes on August 24, 2026.