ENROLLED
2019 Regular Session
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 174
BY REPRESENTATIVES CONNICK AND HILFERTY
A RESOLUTION
To urge and request the legislative auditor to 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.
WHEREAS, Act No. 6 of the 1899 Extraordinary Session of the Legislature created
the New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board to furnish, construct, operate, and maintain a
water treatment and distribution system and a sanitary sewerage system for the city of New
Orleans; and
WHEREAS, in 1903, the Drainage Commission of the city of New Orleans was
merged with the Sewerage and Water Board in order to consolidate drainage, water, and
sewerage programs under one agency for more efficient operations; and
WHEREAS, the Sewerage and Water Board set out to fulfill its goals of providing
the city with adequate drainage, sewerage collection, and drinking water by constructing new
facilities with funds from a local property tax; and
WHEREAS the audit reports for the Sewerage and Water Board over the last three
years have established and found inadequate billing practices; and
WHEREAS, the legislative auditor issued a report in November 2018 that found that
the board did not have adequate written contract policies and procedures over record
keeping, procurement, monitoring, change orders, and payments; and
WHEREAS, the Sewerage and Water Board has failed to properly bill commercial
and residential customers; and
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WHEREAS, the public as a whole has lost confidence in the Sewerage and Water
Board to properly serve the city of New Orleans and properly bill for its services; and
WHEREAS, the Sewerage and Water Board, by its inadequate billing, has failed to
collect revenue duly owed, thereby endangering the public safety and welfare of its
customers because the board is not providing infrastructure necessary for proper drainage
and sewerage collection.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the
Legislature of Louisiana does hereby urge and request the legislative auditor to 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, including procurement of contractors and
subcontractors and the sufficiency of monitoring and testing to ensure contract deliverables
are met.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the Legislature
of Louisiana also requests that the legislative auditor assess the board's efforts to resolve
implementation issues, such as incorrect billing, and make recommendations for
improvement.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
legislative auditor and the executive director of the New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
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