RÉSUMÉ DIGEST
ACT 763 (SB 305) 2024 Regular Session Harris
Existing law provides that the public water system, the public sewerage system, and the
public drainage system of the city of New Orleans shall be constructed, controlled,
maintained, and operated by a sewerage and water 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.
(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.
New law makes changes to the board membership by providing that one of the appointees
may be the chair of the Public Works, Sanitation and Environment Committee of the New
Orleans City Council, or an appointment selected by the council president with a background
in engineering, law, or consumer advocacy selected with the advice and consent of the city
council. New law otherwise retains existing law board composition.
New law provides that at the beginning of every quarter, the Coastal Protection Restoration
Authority (authority), the La. Dept. of Transp. and Dev. (DOTD), the Gov.'s Office of
Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, and representatives from the Jefferson
Parish Department of Public Works, the Saint Bernard Parish Department of Public Works,
and the Plaquemines Parish Engineering & Public Works Department shall meet with the
executive director of the Sewerage and Water Board (board) and his team to develop a
coordinated southeast La. urban flood prevention plan. New law requires that the plan be
presented to the members of the New Orleans Delegation and the city council annually on
May 15th, beginning May 15th, 2025.
New law provides that the board shall be responsible for all drainage operations in the city
of New Orleans. Requires the city of New Orleans to transfer all employees and equipment
used for drainage maintenance to the board.
New law requires the city of New Orleans to allocate on an annual basis to the board the
same level of funding the New Orleans Department of Public Works utilized in fiscal year
2023 for drainage operations.
New law requires the city of New Orleans, the board, and the authority to sign a cooperative
endeavor agreement to assist in the coordination of the city of New Orleans award of
$141,300,000 from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development National
Disaster Resilience Grant.
New law requires the board and DOTD to sign a cooperative endeavor agreement allowing
the option to undertake contracting responsibilities of any special capital improvement
projects over $100,000,000. Additionally requires the board and DOTD to create and update
annually a capital improvement plan and a maintenance plan to ensure the longevity of the
infrastructure of the board.
Effective upon signature of governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Amends R.S. 33:4071(A)(1)(b); adds R.S. 33:4071.2)