The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part of the
legislative instrument, were prepared by James Benton.
DIGEST
SB 390 Original 2020 Regular Session Peterson
Present law provides for the Sewerage and Water board of New Orleans "board" to be composed as
follows:
(1)The mayor.
(2)The chair of the Public Works, Sanitation and Environment Committee of the New Orleans
city council, a member of the committee appointed by the chair, or a civil engineer appointed
by the chair. Any member appointed by the chair shall serve at the pleasure of the chair.
(3)Two syndicate members of the board of liquidation, city debt, to be appointed by the mayor
on the recommendation of the board of liquidation, city debt.
(4)Seven citizens, to be appointed by the mayor, with the advice and consent of the city council
from a list of nominees submitted by the Sewerage and Water Board Selection Committee.
Proposed law provides that the members appointed pursuant to (3) and (4) above shall include one
citizen from each of the five council manic districts within the city of New Orleans. In addition, two
of the appointments shall be consumer advocates with community advocacy or consumer protection
experience or experience in a related field, and one of the appointments shall be a retired civil
engineer.
Proposed law retains present law but eliminates the mandate that one of the appointments to the
board must be a retired civil engineer.
Present law requires the advertisement and letting of a contract when the board purchases materials
or supplies exceeding $30,000 for the conduct, operation, maintenance, and repair of the its systems.
Proposed law retains present law and provides that purchases of $10,000 or more but less than
$30,000, must be made by obtaining at least three quotes by telephone, facsimile, email, or any other
printable electronic form. Proposed law further provides for a written confirmation of the accepted
offer must be obtained and made a part of the purchase file.
Present law provides for the board to do construction work on its public systems with its own forces
when the amount of work involved in the project does not exceed a total value of $150,000.
Proposed law authorizes the board to contract with the lowest bidder after advertising for all public
works contracts exceeding the legal limit. Present law provides for the board to install and pay the cost to connect one sewer connection and
one water connection extending from the respective main to the property line and from that point on,
each must be made at the cost and expense of the owner of the property for a lot of record which
existed prior to 1954.
Present law requires the property owner for all lots created after 1954, to bear all costs for
connections extended from the sewer and water main to the property line, and any additionally costs
from the property line to on-site facilities must be installed and maintained at the cost of the property
owner.
Proposed law provides that each property owner may contract with a licensed plumber in the state
of Louisiana for the installation of connections and any subsequent work, however all such work
shall be subject to the regulation, inspection and control of the board. Proposed law further provides
that if the work is performed by the board and a disruption of the water or sewer connection from
the main to the property line is caused, the board will bear the cost of repairing the disrupted
connection.
Present law requires for the board to make to the city council, in writing, a full and detailed report
of its acts, doings, receipts, and expenditures, on or prior to the first day of May of each year.
Additionally, present law provides that the board report quarterly, in September, December, March,
and June to the city council relative to contracts let in the construction and repair of its public
systems.
Present law requires the board to report quarterly no later than the first day of the second month
following the close of each calendar quarter to the city council relative to its operations. The report
shall include the following in a manner as prescribed by the city council:
(1)Standard industry metrics for best practice.
(2)Processes and indicators for prevention of waste or fraud.
(3)Performance metrics for employees and contractors.
(4)Benchmarks of success regarding improved coordination between the board and the
Department of Public Works to ensure priority and resource alignment.
(5)Report on the efficiency and effectiveness of information systems.
(6)Detailed reports on assessment and status of technologies and operation programs and
strategies for system redundancy and service improvements.
(7)Detailed reports on assessment and status of operational reforms, capital improvement
programs, and service assurance programs.
Present law provides for the Orleans Parish School Board to be exempt from water rates in certain circumstances.
Proposed law deletes present law.
Proposed law retains present law and provides that the exemptions afforded to the Orleans Parish
School Board may be superceded by a mutually agreed upon and executed cooperative endeavor
agreement between the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans and the Orleans Parish School
Board, wherein the terms of the cooperative endeavor agreement shall govern the rate and means by
which public schools in Orleans Parish are charged for water and sewer services.
Effective upon signature of the governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Amends R.S. 33:4071(A)(1)(e), 4084(A)(1)(b) and (2) and (E), 4085(A) and (B), 4090, and 4091;
adds R.S. 33:4084(A)(1)(c))