Press Releases

NEW ORLEANS, LA — With over 12,000 smart meters installed to date, the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans (SWBNO) is now issuing smart meter-based bills to customers who have received their meter upgrades. SWBNO is also issuing Continuous Use Letters to customers whose new smart meter detects a constant flow of running water on their property, which could indicate a potential leak.

“This new technology not only ensures customers receive accurate bills that reflect actual water use moving forward, but it also enables us to notify customers of potential leaks before they impact customers’ bills,” said Executive Director Ghassan Korban.  

For most customers, the transitional smart meter bill will include data from the old mechanical meter combined with data from the new smart meter, depending on when the smart meter was installed during the billing cycle. Subsequent bills will include only smart meter data.

SWBNO advises customers that the new smart meters will measure water use more precisely and this could impact customer bills. Many older mechanical meters are beyond their expected useful life, which has caused them to lose accuracy over time and often results in under-recorded water use. 

The new smart meters can accurately measure water moving through customers’ pipes—even smaller amounts of water that older meters may have missed. The new meters will reflect actual customer use, customers whose old meter under read their water use could experience a bill increase.

“It’s important to note that all customers use water differently, so impacts will vary from customer to customer,” said Korban. “Some may see bill increases while others may see decreases.”

Later this year, customers will also have access to an advanced customer portal. Along with their smart meter, the portal will provide water use details and account management tools that will empower customers to have more control over their water use and, ultimately, their water bills.

Customers can learn more about smart meter billing in this video. Information on how to conserve water and possibly lower your bill is available at www.swbno.org/ConservationTips.

SWBNO is prepared to work with our customers through this transition of modernizing our water meters.

• SWBNO is meeting with high-volume customers to prepare them for any changes to their bills and work together through the transition. 
• SWBNO has assembled a dedicated team of Customer Service staff members who specialize in the Smart Metering Program. Until the enhanced customer portal is available, customers can contact 504-52-WATER to learn more about their water use data.
• SWBNO will cap customers’ transitional bill (the first bill including smart meter data) at 20% more than their average bill over the last 12 months. This effort aims to help with the transition to more precise meter technology and to lessen the burden on our customers.
• SWBNO will continue to offer payment plans to customers who have struggled to pay their bills. SWBNO partnered with Promise, a technology company that supports government agencies in developing payment plan options to customers. To learn more about PromisePay payment plans, check your eligibility, and to enroll, please visit swbno.promise-pay.com.

The utility is on track to replace half of its meters by the end of 2024, and SWBNO is proactively informing customers of what they can expect for their installations. Customers can learn more about the installation process in this video. Once a smart meter is installed, customers must not lift the smart meter lid. Lifting the lid can damage the equipment and result in a fine for the customer.

For more information on the Smart Metering Program including a map of where current meters are installed and locations of where the next meters are scheduled for installation, please visit www.swbno.org/Projects/SmartMetering.