HLS 19RS-2677 ENGROSSED
2019 Regular Session
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 174
BY REPRESENTATIVES CONNICK AND HILFERTY
LEGISLATIVE AUDITOR: Requests the legislative auditor to review the billing system
of the New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board
1 A RESOLUTION
2To urge and request the legislative auditor to review the circumstances surrounding the New
3 Orleans Sewerage and Water Board’s letting, bidding, and awarding of contracts that
4 pertain to its billing system and to review the implementation and oversight of its
5 current billing system.
6 WHEREAS, Act No. 6 of the 1899 Extraordinary Session of the Legislature created
7the New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board to furnish, construct, operate, and maintain a
8water treatment and distribution system and a sanitary sewerage system for the city of New
9Orleans; and
10 WHEREAS, in 1903, the Drainage Commission of the city of New Orleans was
11merged with the Sewerage and Water Board in order to consolidate drainage, water, and
12sewerage programs under one agency for more efficient operations; and
13 WHEREAS, the Sewerage and Water Board set out to fulfill its goals of providing
14the city with adequate drainage, sewerage collection, and drinking water by constructing new
15facilities with funds from a local property tax; and
16 WHEREAS the audit reports for the Sewerage and Water Board over the last three
17years have established and found inadequate billing practices; and
18 WHEREAS, the legislative auditor issued a report in November 2018 that found that
19the board did not have adequate written contract policies and procedures over record
20keeping, procurement, monitoring, change orders, and payments; and
Page 1 of 2 HLS 19RS-2677 ENGROSSED
HR NO. 174
1 WHEREAS, the Sewerage and Water Board has failed to properly bill commercial
2and residential customers; and
3 WHEREAS, the public as a whole has lost confidence in the Sewerage and Water
4Board to properly serve the city of New Orleans and properly bill for its services; and
5 WHEREAS, the Sewerage and Water Board, by its inadequate billing, has failed to
6collect revenue duly owed, thereby endangering the public safety and welfare of its
7customers because the board is not providing infrastructure necessary for proper drainage
8and sewerage collection.
9 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the
10Legislature of Louisiana does hereby urge and request the legislative auditor to review the
11circumstances surrounding the New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board’s letting, bidding,
12and awarding of contracts that pertain to its billing system and to review the implementation
13and oversight of its current billing system, including procurement of contractors and
14subcontractors and the sufficiency of monitoring and testing to ensure contract deliverables
15are met.
16 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the Legislature
17of Louisiana also requests that the legislative auditor assess the board’s efforts to resolve
18implementation issues, such as incorrect billing, and make recommendations for
19improvement.
20 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
21legislative auditor and the executive director of the New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HR 174 Engrossed 2019 Regular Session Connick
Requests that the legislative auditor review the circumstances surrounding the New Orleans
Sewerage and Water Board’s letting, bidding, and awarding of contracts that pertain to its
billing system and to review the implementation and oversight of its current billing system.
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