Bill Dispute and Adjustments

Do you have questions about your bill? Call (504) 52-WATER for help.

How to Dispute Charges on Your Bill

If a customer suspects an incorrect water, sewer, or sanitation charge, they can initiate a bill complaint to have the issue investigated.

Contact us by phone, at an office location, by mail, or by fax to begin the bill dispute process.

The Bill Dispute Process: What to Expect

1. Contact Customer Service.
2. A representative will review your bill. If the bill amount cannot be immediately explained or fixed (i.e., through a fee correction), the Customer Service Representative will route to the investigation unit for review.
3. You will receive a letter that says we are reviewing your account. You will also receive an update every 30 days until the investigation is complete.
4. Our Bill Adjustment Department will review your account. The Bill Adjustment Department will:
   • Review your use history. If your bill falls within your normal high/low range over the past 12 months, no adjustment will be made. You will owe the full bill amount.
   • If the reading falls outside of your normal range, we will assign an inspector to examine your meter.
5. The Meter Reading Department will call you to schedule an inspection.
   • You may choose to be present or not. If you are not present for the inspection, we will only be able to examine the meter and visible outside taps.
6. After the investigation is complete, you will receive a letter that summarizes our findings. Those might include:
   • A leak on your property – You are responsible to have the leak repaired. You must notify us in writing with proof of the repairs. Proof consists of a statement of work by a licensed plumber or a signed letter from you stating the extent of the repairs completed with copies of any receipts for supplies. After we receive a meter reading that indicates your water usage has returned to normal, we will adjust 50% of the excess sewer fees and 50% of the excess water fees for leaks that occurred above ground, such as leaking fixtures. We will adjust 100% of the excess sewer fees and 50% of the excess water fees for leaks that occurred in underground pipes. Normal usage is considered the average of the two most recent actual meter reads before the leak occurred. Excess sewer and water usage is considered water and sewer used above that of your normal usage.
   • A leak that was the responsibility of SWNBO – We will remove 100% of the excess sewer fees and 100% of the excess sewer fees from your bill.
   • An unexplained high bill - When there is no clear cause of the high bill and the following month’s water use returns to normal, we will make a once-per-year adjustment of your water consumption to match your account’s last actual meter reading that is similar to your account’s normal water use. If your water use on subsequent bills continues to be high, you will be notified that you should check your property for leaks. No adjustment will be made in this case.
7. If you are not satisfied with the results of the investigation, you may request a hearing before our Administrative Hearing Officer. You may request a hearing by contacting Customer Service.
   For questions regarding your investigation or your hearing, you may Contact the Customer Service Department.

What Should I Pay While a Bill is Under Dispute?

During an investigation, you do not need to pay charges that are under dispute. However, you do need to pay an amount similar to your typical monthly bill during the investigation to avoid falling behind on your typical use.

If the investigation has not been completed by the time the following month’s bill is mailed, the subsequent bill will inform you in the Important Information section that the previous bill’s charges are under investigation. The amount due on this bill will only reflect the charges for the new billing period, and it will not require payment of the prior bill’s charges that are under investigation. This new bill and all following bills should be paid in full.

During the investigation period, if a following month’s bill also has charges you believe are incorrect, you should contact Customer Service to request investigation of the charges in the new bill. You will once again be asked to pay an amount similar to your typical bill.

What Should I Do If I Am Not Satisfied With The Results Of My Hearing?

If you are not satisfied with the results of your hearing, you have several options available:

Rehearing, Reopening, or Reconsideration of Judgment:

A decision, judgment, or order in a case of adjudication shall be subject to rehearing, reopening or reconsideration by the Board within ten (10) days from the date of the Judgment, provided the customer submits its request in writing with the reasons for the rehearing, reopening, or reconsideration. The Board may grant a rehearing, reopening, or reconsideration on one of the following grounds:

1. The decision or order is clearly contrary to the law and the evidence;
2. The party has discovered since the hearing evidence important to the issues which he could not have with due diligence obtained before or during the hearing;
3. There is a showing that issues not previously considered ought to be examined in order properly to dispose of the matter; and
4. There is other good ground for further consideration of the issues and the evidence in the public interest.

All requests for rehearing, reopening, or reconsideration must be submitted to the Board by U.S. Mail to the address provided below. All requests for rehearing, reopening, or reconsideration must be postmarked within ten (10) days from the date of the Judgment.

Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans
Attention: Revenue Administration
Re: Notice of Rehearing, Reopening or Reconsideration of Judgment
625 St. Joseph Street
Room 127
New Orleans, Louisiana 70165

(Source: La. Rev. Stat. § 49:977.1)

APPEAL OF ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING JUDGMENT TO THE CITY COUNCIL:
Pursuant to Ordinance No. 29278 M.C.S., you have the right to appeal the administrative hearing officer’s judgment to the New Orleans City Council within forty-five (45) days from the receipt of your administrative hearing judgment from the Board. Attached to this email is the City Council’s Customer Appeal Form, which includes appeal instructions. You may contact the City Council Utilities Regulatory Office at 504-658-1110 for guidance on the appeals process, or visit https://council.nola.gov/resources/swbno-customer-appeals/ for additional information and an online form.

APPEAL OF CITY COUNCIL DECISION TO THE CIVIL DISTRICT COURT FOR THE PARISH OF ORLEANS:
You have the right to appeal the City Council Decision within thirty (30) days from the transmission of the notice of the final decision to appeal to the Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans. (Sources: La. Rev. Stat. § 49:979 and City Council SWBNO Customer Appeal Form)

REQUEST FOR PUBLIC RECORDS:
You may request copies of the audio recording of the administrative hearing, judgment, and/or records used by the Board during the hearing by submitting a public records request at https://swbno.nextrequest.com/requests. (Source: Louisiana Public Records Act—La. Rev. Stat. § 44:1, et seq.)