New Orleans City Council Grills Sewage and Water Board Over Aging Infrastructure

Repeated water main breaks have city leaders demanding action on the utility's aging pipes.

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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The New Orleans City Council committee held a hearing to address the city's ongoing issues with water main breaks, which officials say are caused by the aging infrastructure of the Sewage and Water Board's (SWB) transmission system. Over 34% of the city's water pipes are more than 100 years old, and about 80% are older than 50 years, well beyond their typical lifespan. The SWB director acknowledged the problems and said the utility is considering a broader audit to assess the condition of the pipes, but said significant funding will be required to fix the aging system.

Why it matters

The frequent water main breaks not only cause disruptions and property damage in the city, but also raise concerns about public safety and the reliability of New Orleans' water supply. The aging infrastructure is a longstanding issue that the city has struggled to address, and the City Council is pressing the SWB to develop a comprehensive plan to tackle the problem.

The details

During the City Council committee hearing, SWB officials revealed that over 34% of the city's transmission mains are more than 100 years old, and about 80% of the system is older than 50 years, which is the typical lifespan of a water pipe. The committee grilled the SWB director about the repeated leaks and breaks, and whether the city is doing enough to prevent future incidents. The SWB acknowledged the need to identify the most at-risk areas and consider a broader audit of the water system to assess the condition of the pipes. However, the utility also stated that significant funding will be required to address the aging infrastructure.

  • The City Council committee hearing took place on March 10, 2026.

The players

Sewage and Water Board (SWB)

The public utility responsible for providing water, sewage, and drainage services to the city of New Orleans.

New Orleans City Council

The legislative body of the city of New Orleans, which is pressing the SWB to address the issues with the city's aging water infrastructure.

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What they’re saying

“Everyone's frustrated. We are frustrated. I am frustrated. The bottom line is, though, as I said during my discussion today, that we have to ride two trains. One train is we have to do an audit and we have to evaluate what technologies and processes we can use to address this. But the other train that I think is equally important is that we have to work together with City Council, with the Mayor's Office to find how can we get additional moneys, the funding that we need.”

— SWB Director (wdsu.com)

What’s next

The SWB plans to identify the most at-risk areas of the water system and consider a broader audit to assess the condition of the pipes. The City Council and the Mayor's Office will also need to work together to secure the necessary funding to address the aging infrastructure.

The takeaway

The frequent water main breaks in New Orleans highlight the urgent need to address the city's aging water infrastructure. The SWB and city leaders recognize the problem, but significant investment will be required to upgrade the system and prevent future disruptions to the water supply and public safety.