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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 12, 2026
Councilmembers Lesli Harris and Jason Hughes Request Full Accounting of Recent Water Main Breaks from Sewerage and Water Board
NEW ORLEANS, LA — New Orleans City Councilmember Lesli Harris and Councilmember Jason Hughes, Chair of the City Council’s Public Works Committee, have authored a formal letter to the Sewerage and Water Board with the support of the full City Council, requesting a comprehensive report on recent water main breaks across the city.
Constituents can view the letter authored by Councilmembers Harris and Hughes to the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans here.
Over the past two months, five water main breaks have occurred in New Orleans, including two in District B and three in District A, causing disruptions for residents, businesses, and commuters and raising concerns about the condition of the city’s aging water infrastructure.
"As the Councilmember representing District B, my office has received several complaints from residents about water leaks and recurring infrastructure issues in their neighborhoods," said Councilmember Harris. "When these breaks occur, they disrupt daily life for residents and businesses. The Council needs a clear understanding of what is happening and how quickly these issues are being addressed. My office has also received repeated complaints of water being shut off without notice, notably from CrescentCare, a major healthcare provider in District B. They have experienced six water shutoffs in the last 18 months without notice, forcing them to cancel an entire day of patient appointments each time."
Councilmember Hughes emphasized the importance of transparency and oversight as the City Council works to ensure infrastructure reliability.
"As Chair of the Public Works Committee, it is critical that the Council has a full accounting of these incidents,” said Councilmember Hughes, “New Orleans is facing a real infrastructure crisis, and our residents deserve transparency and accountability from the systems they rely on every day."
In the letter, the councilmembers requested that the Sewerage and Water Board provide:
- A comprehensive list of all reported water main leaks in the City of New Orleans over the past twelve (12) months.
- The location and date of each reported leak.
- The timeline for repairs on all leaks, including an estimated start and finish date.
- Any available information regarding the cause of each of the recent water main breaks and whether the infrastructure involved has experienced prior failures.
- How does S&WB notify residents of water shutoffs?
- How can we limit consistent water shutoffs, especially to vital community businesses?
Councilmembers Harris and Hughes noted that the information will help the Council better understand the current condition of the city’s water infrastructure and ensure residents receive timely repairs when failures occur.
"Four water main breaks in 38 days are concerning enough. The subsequent lack of urgency from Sewerage & Water Board is downright alarming," said Council President JP Morrell. "These water main breaks have kept children from school, businesses from operating, and residents from functioning. As Chair of the Utilities Committee, I am calling on SWBNO leadership to meet this moment with urgency and deliver a clear, actionable plan to ensure this never happens again. It's time to stop kicking the can down the road and get the job done."
"Residents, businesses, and visitors deserve a stable, well-maintained, and resilient water system," said Council Vice President Matthew Willard. "As it is today, our neighborhoods are suffering from repeated water main breaks and boil water advisories week after week. We are requesting regular operational updates so we can ensure that the Sewerage and Water Board is implementing a concrete plan to address chronic infrastructure failures. Our goal is to prevent crises, not just react to them."
Councilmember Aimee McCarron added, "District A has borne the brunt of these recent water main breaks, causing significant and expensive damage to homes, vehicles, and businesses. Today's incident at Willow and Audubon marks the third water main break in District A over six weeks. My office has been reporting gushing water a block away for months, which was never addressed. This is a clear consequence of ignoring these reports. Last week's break on Panola Street at Carrollton was known to SWBNO, and crews were actively repairing the leak until called away for the Claiborne Avenue water main break. Those Carrollton residents were days away from a repaired leak, but are now instead dealing with extensive damage. It is imperative that SWBNO presents a plan to prevent these issues and a timeline for repairs so that this Council can responsibly regulate this utility."
"Residents deserve full transparency when it comes to the reliability of our water and drainage systems. Every leak or water main break not only disrupts daily life for residents and businesses, but also raises broader concerns about the condition of our city’s infrastructure," said Councilmember Eugene Green. "The Sewerage and Water Board’s plan to address water, sewer, and drainage issues must restore confidence among residents, businesses, and investors in our city. We must treat the need to repair and strengthen our infrastructure with urgency, ensuring that every report is addressed quickly and that the public is informed about the steps being taken to prevent future failures."
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Contact:
CouncilCommunications@nola.gov
504.658.1117
 New Orleans City Council
The New Orleans City Council is the legislative branch of the New Orleans city government. The Council considers and enacts all local laws that govern the City of New Orleans. The Council also approves the operating and capital budgets for the City, as recommended by the mayor, and continually monitors revenues and expenditures for local government operations. The City Council is also the regulatory body for public utilities. It also reviews and has the final say on many land use and zoning matters, as well as considers major economic development projects for the City. As a Board of Review for Orleans Parish, the Council examines appeals of property tax assessments for real estate taxes and certifies tax rolls to the Louisiana Tax Commission. Other responsibilities of the Council include overseeing the operation of the public access television in Orleans Parish. Streaming video and video archives of the City Council's Regular and Committee meetings can be found on the City Council website.
The City Council is comprised of five districts and Councilmembers-at-large: Council President and Councilmember-at-Large JP Morrell; Council Vice President and Councilmember-At-Large Matthew Willard; District "A" Councilmember Aimee McCarron; District "B" Councilmember Lesli D. Harris; District "C" Councilmember Freddie King III; District "D" Councilmember Eugene J. Green, Jr.; and District "E" Councilmember Jason Hughes.
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