Kerri Kane

The Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans is the public utility responsible for managing water, sewer, and drainage services in New Orleans and surrounding areas. The private company is based in New Orleans, LA. It is governed by an 11-member board of directors representing city officials and citizen advocates. The board oversees infrastructure, customer service, and operational functions to ensure safe and reliable water and wastewater management. Services include billing, payments, dispute resolution, leak and damage reporting, sanitation, plumbing inspections, and public records requests. The utility is upgrading its systems with smart water meters to improve billing accuracy and enable customers to monitor water usage. It offers programs supporting economically disadvantaged businesses through equitable contracting opportunities. The board focuses on water quality and infrastructure resilience, including the addition of zinc orthophosphate at the Algiers water treatment plant to protect pipes and reduce lead levels. It manages major infrastructure projects such as drainage improvements under the Southeast Louisiana program and follows a strategic plan to enhance operations, resiliency, and customer satisfaction. The board maintains transparency and community engagement through public meetings, newsletters, project dashboards, and social media updates, and provides online resources for customers and businesses.