Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Utilities topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council adopts new water and sewer fees, sets Oct. 1 implementation date after debate
Summary
After debate about affordability, the council adopted an ordinance amending water and sewer service rates and set a new implementation date of Oct. 1, 2026; the vote passed 9–3 with two absences.
The Saint Tammany Parish Council voted to amend service rates and fees for parish‑operated water and sewer systems and set a new implementation date of Oct. 1, 2026.
Parish staff introduced the ordinance to amend portions of ordinance CS 12‑2707 (codified as section 40‑333) that establish and validate sewer and water rates and fees. Council discussion noted a delay in the original implementation date and then an updated target of Oct. 1, 2026 for the new rates (SEG 2206–2226). Councilmember Kugel said he could not support the increase because of affordability concerns for many constituents and uncertainty that infrastructure improvements would be completed before rates rise: "this does represent for a huge amount of my constituents a pretty considerable increase in rates" (SEG 2231–2237). Councilman Laughlin echoed affordability concerns (SEG 2240–2242).
Council voted to adopt the ordinance. The clerk recorded the outcome as 9 yays, 3 nays and 2 absent (SEG 2256–2257). The ordinance includes rates and fees amendments codified against the parish code; the record shows the council approved the ordinance with the revised implementation timetable.
What happens next: parish staff will proceed with implementation planning toward the Oct. 1, 2026 effective date and communications to customers about rate changes.
