NO MORE WATER SHUT-OFFS!
With no resolution to the problem of unjustly high water bills, New Orleans’ working class is threatened with a resumption of cut-offs beginning August 1st. It’s been one year since the flood that exposed the criminal negligence of the S&WB and resulted in the loss of many of our fellow workers’ automobiles or damage to their homes. We also found out that the S&WB was sending out gigantic water bills even though no one had read the meters. They announced that they were accepting small claims, yet nobody that we know has received acknowledgement, let alone compensation for their losses. The NOWG continues to demand full reparations for those who suffered damages. We also demand forbearance on those huge water bills and a continuation of the moratorium on cut-offs. We also continue to support the efforts of the New Orleans Peoples Assembly to file a class action suit to force the S&WB to pay damages for their apparent attempt to run our drainage and water delivery system into the ground. Despite having a new administration, the dysfunction continues. If we want the problems at the S&WB to be fixed, we have to step up our organized fight and force them to properly carry out their sewer, drainage and water responsibilities. We must demand that the S&WB come under popular control of New Orleans residents, with a majority of Board members coming from amongst representatives of the working class who know what it feels like to struggle to pay their bills.