Sewerage & Water Board Of New Orleans Community & Intergovernmental Relations Department 625 St. Joseph Street, Room B-47 New Orleans, Louisiana 70165 504-585-2175
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 8, 2003
Sewer Rate Increase Will Begin September 8, 2003

The Sewerage and Water Board bill, as of September 8, 2003 reflects a 15 percent rate increase only on the sewer portion of the monthly bill. There is no increase in water charges or the sanitation service fee assessed by the City.

The New Orleans City Council approved this increase on August 21, 2003. The Council also approved increases for 2004 (15%), 2005 (14%) and 2006 (14%).

These increases, along with one approved by the Council in December of 2002 (15%), are part of a five-step rate adjustment proposed by the Sewerage and Water Board in July of 2002 and are only for sewer services.

The funds generated by the increase will be used to totally upgrade our aging sewage collection system through repair or replacement of broken lines and manholes in every part of the city. Improvements are also being made at two sewage treatment plants--one on the East Bank and the other in Algiers--to increase capacity and improve efficiency. More work is scheduled at each plant to modernize and upgrade the treatment process.

The rate approved on Aug. 21, 2003 will increase the sewer portion of a typical residential customer's bill (using 5,200 gallons of water per month) by $2.51. Even with the increase, sewer rates in New Orleans are well below those in cities of similar size and population.

Because service charges and user fees are based on the size of the water meter and the volume of water used, some larger commercial and industrial users will see larger increases. A full rate schedule is available from the Customer Service Dept., 52-WATER (529-2837). It is also posted elsewhere on this website.

In 1998, the S&WB entered into a consent decree with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, agreeing to make specific repairs to the sewerage system on a strict timetable.

To accomplish this, the city was divided into 10 sewerage districts. Rehabilitation work in the Lakefront District has been completed, and extensive work is under way in seven other districts: Gentilly, Uptown, Carrollton, Mid-City, Ninth Ward, CBD/Warehouse District/French Quarter and Eastern New Orleans.

Age, corrosion, subsidence and tree roots had caused many of the underground pipes to break or collapse, resulting in leaks, blockages and the potential for back-ups into homes or businesses. Numerous manholes were also deteriorating and leaking.

This massive repair program is designed to:

o Improve sewer service to homes and businesses

o Prevent sewage from leaking out of pipes and entering the drainage system

o Keep rainwater out of sewage lines to prevent overloads at the sewage treatment plants

o Protect the environment and ensure the health and well-being of our customers

When the program is completed, some 2,600 miles of lines and house connections will have been inspected, along with thousands of manholes. Repairs or replacements will be made wherever necessary to prevent leaks, clogs, back-ups and further deterioration of the sewer collection system.

Additional information on SSERP is available on a special website: www.gosserp.com.

The estimated cost of the entire sewer rehabilitation program (SSERP) is $624 million.

Since 1996, the S&WB has spent $146.6 million to upgrade the Sewerage System: $93.6 million on the sewage collection system and $53 million on the treatment plants.

More information about the sewerage, water and drainage systems operated by the Sewerage and Water Board is available elsewhere on this website. Videos on the sewerage and drainage systems are available through the Community and Intergovernmental Department, 585-2175.