New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno is ready to make changes to the Sewerage and Water Board.
The mayor is preparing to remove four members appointed by her predecessor and replacing them with new appointees.
The New Orleans City Council later this week is expected to approve a variety of reform measures, now that a new state law giving the city more direct control over the state-created Sewerage and Water Board is in effect.
"Ultimately, we get blamed for all the problems, anyway," Moreno said "Might as well have the authority to fix them, as well."
Moreno says replacing four out of eleven total board members is just one step of a larger effort to reform the storm drainage and drinking water system, including giving the city council final say on S&WB's budget, oversight of employment, and bringing in the state legislative auditor to do a thorough examination of the agency's books.
"That transformation will happen; it's not going to happen overnight," the mayor cautioned. "We can't just flip a switch."
