New Orleans officials would change water board rules and oversight

The Sewerage and Water Board would have the membership and appointment process listed in the text. The rules cover the mayor, city council representatives, Board of Liquidation members, and seven citizens appointed from a selection committee's nominees. Citizen members must be Orleans Parish voters and have lived there for the two years before appointment. Appointments must include representation from each of the city's five council districts and two consumer advocates. Nominees must have experience in listed fields such as engineering, law, finance, public health, or community advocacy. Appointments must reflect the city's racial and gender diversity as far as practical. Appointed members would generally serve four-year terms after staggered initial terms, with no more than two consecutive terms.

The water board may adopt rules to reduce, release, or cancel parts of a customer's sewer or water debt, while the city council may regulate listed board activities. Debt adjustments cover customer bills affected by board errors, meter-reading or invoicing failures, certain damage or weather events, mandatory evacuations, or qualifying social welfare programs. An adjustment for a board or outside event may cover only the added debt caused by that problem. The city council's authority remains subject to state law and may not impair the board's existing obligations. Council procedures for bill changes or amnesty must be applied uniformly rather than giving special treatment. The described authorities apply when the board adopts rules or when the city council considers an ordinance or oversight action; no general start date is stated.

The Sewerage and Water Board would be responsible for New Orleans drainage operations, and the city may transfer related employees and equipment to it. The provision applies to drainage operations in the city of New Orleans and to city funding unless another public entity maintains those operations. The responsibility does not apply when a parish governing authority or another law provides otherwise. The city would provide the same annual drainage funding used by the Department of Public Works in fiscal year 2023 unless another public entity maintains the work. Other city funding increases would require New Orleans City Council approval. The funding amount would be set annually, using the Department of Public Works' fiscal year 2023 drainage funding as the reference point.