New Orleans taxpayers lose millions to water loss, report says [Video]

The New Orleans Inspector General has issued a report regarding high water losses across the city. He says this is costing taxpayers millions. The Office of Inspector General conducted an evaluation of the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans’ policies and procedures regarding water loss control from Feb. 1, 2019, through April 1, 2023. According to the report, the city’s water loss exceeds what is normally expected for a utility. “After reviewing internal documents and published reports, the OIG concluded that the SWBNO experienced water losses far greater than industry averages and did not have comprehensive water loss control policies and practices consistent with best practices,” the report said. Investigators found consistently high levels of non-revenue water.That included water losses due to both infrastructure weaknesses and metering and billing errors, according to the inspector general. Each year for a decade, the water losses were around 70%.Because of the loss …