NEW ORLEANS — The Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans could soon have more responsibilities while the city's Department of Public Works could soon have fewer. Thursday, a bill by Senator Jimmy Harris, aimed at consolidating the two utilities passed the house floor with 91 yays and no nays.
When the bill was in committee, Council Vice President JP Morrell testified and said the way the two utilities are set up right now is confusing. He questioned why the drainage was broken up between SWB and DPW.
"It did not make sense to separate that responsibility because you would always see during a flooding event the sewerage and water board and public works will basically point fingers at each other," Morrell said at the time.
The council's support for the bill was reiterated Thursday, as Council President Helena Moreno released a statement praising the passage of the bill.
"Merging the drainage operations here in New Orleans is clear and common sense, and I know that with strong collaboration between the Sewerage and Water Board, the City, and other stakeholders, we are going to be able to make significant improvements in flood protection and efficiency with these long-awaited reforms," the statement read in part.
Not everyone agrees though. In a meeting Wednesday, Mayor Cantrell said the city can't afford the multi-million dollar bill that would come with consolidating the drainage.
"This is a setup to fail," Mayor Cantrell said Wednesday.
Moreno says the city does have the money.
"Also, the Council has always been committed to funding drainage operations but it has been disappointing that the dollars appropriated, including $10M just for catch basins, weren’t hitting the streets quickly. We will continue to budget what’s determined to be needed," Moreno said in the statement.
Sewerage and Water Board released a statement to WWL Louisiana Thursday after the House's vote:
We appreciate Senator Harris’ and all our State partners’ support, time, and attention for our utility and our customers. In addition to our State Legislators, we are also working with the City Council, the Mayor’s administration, and all stakeholders to work toward a better drainage system for the City as a whole.
We are ready and willing to assume the additional drainage system responsibility and trust that we will be supported in that transfer with a steady and sufficient revenue stream.
The bill now heads to the Senate.
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