LaToya Cantrell blasts report on millions in uncollected water bills

NEW ORLEANS — The New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board has millions of dollars in uncollected bills – anywhere between $50 million and $140 million, depending on the figures and the source of those figures.

The estimate was reported at the City Council’s Public Works Committee meeting Tuesday and was the subject of reports from several media outlets including WWL-TV and its newspaper partner, the New Orleans Advocate.

Hours after the committee meeting, the Advocate reported that one of its reporters received an angry phone call from Mayor LaToya Cantrell, whose administration has been on a mission to secure funding to secure significant funding for the city's infrastructure needs, including money to stabilize the troubled Sewerage & Water Board.

The newspaper reported that Cantrell seemed to feel that media reports about the uncollected bills would hurt those efforts.

“What do you want to do, screw the city,” the New Orleans Advocate quoted Cantrell as saying. “You can play games if you want, but this is not the one.”

During the City Council Public Works Committee meeting Tuesday, members said the agency could be leaving anywhere between $130 million and $140 million on the table - money that had not been collected from customers for water and sewerage services.

RELATED: S&WB could be leaving $140 million on the table, City Council says

But that amount isn’t certain since it’s not clear if all the unpaid bills are accurate, said Council Vice President Helena Moreno.

“This is mind-boggling,” Moreno said.

S&WB Executive Director Ghassan Korban said it is likely the case that the council’s figures are off, meaning the amount could be lower or even higher.

Wednesday, at the agency's executive board meeting Wednesday, officials said that amount of uncollected money was closer to $50 million but did not offer any additional details about how that number was calculated.

A spokesperson for the S&WB said there are plans to release a statement later Wednesday but he would not provide anyone from the agency to answer questions from reporters.

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