If you have an issue with the charges on your New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board (SWB) bill, you have the right to dispute it.
How Do I Dispute My Bill?
There are five ways to dispute your bill with SWB:
- HGI (new dispute process)
To dispute any billing issue, contact HGI directly: (504) 910-6484. Or you can send an email to: support@swbno.zohodesk.com - Phone
SWB Customer Service is open Monday through Friday from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm. The number is (504) 529-2837. - Online
You can file a dispute online at www.swbno.org. Go to Customer Service and select Email the Customer Service Department. - Fax
You can fax your dispute to (504) 585-2455 - Mail
You can mail your dispute to:
Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans
Mail Resolving Department
625 St. Joseph Street
New Orleans, LA 70165
What happens after I file my Dispute?
Your bill will be marked as “under investigation”. Continue to pay an amount similar to what your typical monthly bill is. You will be notified by mail by SWB that they have your complaint, and it is under review. You should get an update letter every 30 days during the investigation.
SWB’s Bill Adjustment Department will:
- Check to see if your meter appears to function correctly;
- Review your past 12 months of water usage to see if it is in the normal range;
- If usage is outside the normal range, a service order will be sent to the SWB Meter Reading Department to inspect your meter at the property.
SWB’s Meter Reading Department will:
- Call you to set up appointment to inspect your meter. You should be present.
- Record the findings into SWB Billing System to complete the investigation
What is normal water and sewer usage and excess usage?
SWB considers normal water and sewer usage to be the average of the two (2) most recent actual meter readings before any leak. Excess usage is the amount of use above normal.
What happens if investigation not finished by my next bill?
Your next bill will state if the investigation is still going on. If so, the amount due on your bill is only for that month’s usage and you should pay it. You do not have to pay the disputed charges at this time.
Continue paying the regular monthly bills throughout the time your investigation is open.
What happens during this investigation I think my monthly bill is also not correct?
Contact SWB to ask that these charges be included in your on-going investigation. But, again, you must pay what you think that month’s charges should be.
What happens when the investigation is finished?
Once finished, you will get a letter from SWB which states:
- A leak on your property was found. These types of leaks are your responsibility, and you must get it repaired. Please hire a licensed plumber to do this, get them to give you a written report of all repairs done and keep proof of all payments.
Notify SWB in writing and with proof of the repairs when completed. SWB will review and once a meter reading shows normal water usage, they will adjust your balance up to 50% of the fees for above ground leaks and up to 100% of the sewer fees and up to 50% of the water fees for below ground leaks.
- A leak that was SWB responsibility. For type of leak, SWB will remove 100% of the sewer and water fees from your account.
- Unexplained reason for the high bill. If no clear cause is found AND the following month’s usage returns to normal, SWB will reduce your bill to match the last actual meter reading that is similar to your normal water usage.
What happens if my monthly bills still are higher than normal usage?
Contact SWB immediately. You should also get notice from SWB to check for leaks.
What if I don’t agree with the findings of the investigation?
If you disagree with the findings, you can ask for a hearing with SWB’s Administrative Hearing Officer. Contact Customer Service at (504) 529-2837.
The information provided in this post does not, and is not intended to, represent legal advice. All information available on this site is for general informational purposes only. If you need legal help, you should contact a lawyer. You may be eligible for our free legal services and can apply by calling our Legal Hotline at 1-844-244-7871 or applying online here.