A fresh report indicates that the Sewerage & Water Board overlooked several safeguarding measures to protect public welfare, as protect public health, Verite News covered, arriving almost ten years after the New Orleans Office of the Inspector General initially determined the agency failed to warn citizens about potential toxic lead hazards in their tap water.
An Inspector General’s Warning After Nine Years
The updated assessment reveals that the local utility lacks a comprehensive, proactive strategy to safeguard customers from lead-laden service lines. Back in 2017, the report by former Inspector General Edouard Quatrevaux found that thousands of residents may have been unknowingly exposed to elevated lead levels during water line replacement work. Today, up to 85,000 lead service lines are still projected to be in active use across the city.
Despite managing the city’s drinking water, utility leadership maintains a narrow definition of their organizational scope. Johnsey, a representative of the S&WB, stated that the utility simply follows state and federal regulations for treating the water and addressing lead service lines. However, she asserts that evaluating how that water affects an individual’s health falls outside the agency’s responsibilities.
“We get the water from the river, we treat the water, we distribute the water. That’s really Sewerage & Water Board’s role,” Johnsey said, noting that the utility follows baseline state and federal regulations.
The Invisible Threat Lurking Beneath the Pavement
Built more than a century ago using flexible lead pipes designed to withstand shifting swamp soils, New Orleans infrastructure remains vulnerable. When these corroded pipes are disturbed by construction, repairs, or partial replacements, toxic particles can break loose and spike lead levels at household taps. Lead particles can enter drinking water simply from heavy machinery driving across the service line.
“It’s super important for people to be told, and told in clear language, that they’re putting their family at risk if they have a lead service line and they’re not filtering it,” said Erik Olsen.
Health risks are severe. No amount of lead exposure is safe. Trace amounts damage developing nervous systems in infants, with unfiltered tap water used in baby formula posing an immediate danger to newborns. Black newborns remain especially vulnerable to these impacts, while lifetime chronic exposure links directly to heart disease and premature death.
Compliance Versus Best Practices
While the S&WB meets all current state and federal lead requirements—maintaining a lead service line inventory, mailing annual notices, and offering free water testing alongside pitcher filters—advocates argue these steps remain baseline minimums. Jessica Dandridge, executive director of the New Orleans-based nonprofit Water Collaborative, noted that her organization had to redirect grant funds to independently test 144 households in 2024 after a partnership effort with the utility failed to materialize.
Ahead of partial lead line upgrades, the agency has additionally produced informative resources alerting citizens to potential lead hazards, accompanied by guidelines on flushing out the piping system once the construction concludes.
Utility Finalizes Engineering Contract for Lead Pipe Replacement
Looking ahead, the utility secured a $22.4 million, two-year agreement with engineering firm CDM Smith this summer to kick-start lead pipe removal efforts and assist in securing additional funding for future replacements. The utility completed 351 service line inspections at schools and early learning centers in 2025 and has replaced lead pipes at 19 schools and early learning centers. The utility has also replaced 315 residential lead service lines, though only on the public side.
