SWBNO to overhaul service connections and replace 1991 software to curb water loss

SWBNO to overhaul service connections and replace 1991 software to curb water lossAn internal audit revealed that New Orleans' practice of installing water meters before establishing customer accounts has led to unrecorded usage, prompting the utility to invert its workflow and accelerate a transition to a modern Cityworks platform.

An audit of 30,924 work orders found that dropping meters prior to account creation resulted in a fully pressurized system reliant on customers voluntarily setting up accounts.

SWBNO will invert the workflow to require account creation before the meter shop deploys a unit, cutting the risk of unbilled consumption.

The utility is currently using a version of the RJN TaskWorks system dating back to 1991, which lacks proper role segregation.

Implementation of the replacement system, Cityworks, is scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2026, with a go-live expected in 2028.

The Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans (SWBNO) is overhauling its service connection procedures and advancing a major software replacement to address internal control flaws and apparent water losses, following a comprehensive internal audit presented on March 11, 2026. Chief Audit Executive Ed Sutherland outlined nine findings from a review of service connection inspections between August 2023 and July 2024, a period covering 30,924 work orders. The most critical operational vulnerability identified was the utility's account creation chronology. Currently, SWBNO's meter shop installs new meters before a formal customer account is established at the service address. "You have a fully pressurized water system without an account being created," Sutherland told the audit committee. He noted that the utility has historically relied on customers acting as "good Samaritans" to call in and set up their accounts post-installation, a gap that has directly resulted in apparent water losses. To close this loophole, SWBNO management has agreed to invert the final two steps of the connection process. Going forward, the utility will require an active account to be generated before a meter can be dropped at a site. Sutherland noted that the utility's ongoing transition to smart metering will further lower this risk by enabling remote usage monitoring. The audit also highlighted severe limitations in SWBNO's work order production system, RJN TaskWorks. The utility is currently operating on a version of the software from 1991, which lacks modern role segregation and allows users to assign tasks across departments without proper oversight. In the short term, the IT department is mitigating security risks by slashing the number of users with edit access from 684 down to approximately 213. A permanent fix is underway, with the utility slated to replace the legacy software with Cityworks. Implementation is expected to begin in the second quarter of 2026, with a targeted go-live date in 2028. In addition to the software upgrades, the audit department is prioritizing succession planning and knowledge retention in the meter shop. With the department's manager retiring after 30 years and the utility having passed substantial completion for its smart metering rollout, SWBNO plans to formally document existing workflows and institutional knowledge before mechanical meters are entirely sunsetted.