Slidell Council Approves sooner Water Shutoffs For Unpaid Utility Bills

City officials say the changes are intended to reduce unpaid utility debt while lowering the cost for customers who need service restored.

SLIDELL, La. — Slidell residents who fall behind on city utility bills could face water service disconnection sooner under an ordinance approved unanimously by the Slidell City Council this week.

The council voted 9-0 on Tuesday, Sept. 8, to adopt Ordinance 26-08-3663, which amends Chapter 28 of the city code governing utility accounts. The measure addresses utility fees and costs, water connection and disconnection procedures and the collection of unpaid debts.

During the council meeting, Councilman Sean Fadely said the primary goal is to shorten the period between nonpayment and a water shutoff. He said allowing unpaid balances to accumulate for several months can make the debt more difficult for both customers and the city to resolve.

Fadely told the council that Slidell writes off what he described as a couple hundred thousand dollars in unpaid water bills in a typical year. He also said the city spends about $90,000 annually mailing bills and attempting to collect utility accounts. Those figures were presented by Fadely during the meeting and were not independently detailed in a financial report reviewed for this story.

Under the revised system, the city intends to begin the shutoff process sooner after a customer stops paying rather than allowing multiple months of service to accumulate on an unpaid account.

Fadely said the change could also benefit customers who are struggling to catch up. He told the council that a resident who is already unable to pay one month of charges may have an even harder time paying several months at once. He estimated a typical combined city utility bill at roughly $60 to $70.

The ordinance also reduces the charge associated with reconnecting water service after a disconnection for nonpayment, according to the council discussion.

No members of the public spoke on the ordinance during its Sept. 8 public hearing. Councilwoman Leslie Denham made the motion to adopt the measure, Councilman Shawn Jones seconded it, and all nine council members voted in favor.

The full adopted ordinance had not yet appeared on the City of Slidell’s online ordinance index as of Friday, Sept. 11. Because the final ordinance text was not publicly available through that index, the exact revised shutoff timetable and reconnection charge are not being reported here until they can be confirmed from the adopted document.

Why This Matters In Slidell

The change means city utility customers should pay closer attention to past-due balances because the window between missing payments and losing water service is expected to become shorter.

Residents with billing questions can contact the City of Slidell Utility Services and Billing office at 985-646-4309. The city also provides an online payment system that allows customers to view and pay utility bills.

Slidell’s Public Utilities Department operates the city water system, maintains water mains and service lines and oversees water meters. Customers experiencing water or sewer service problems can contact the city’s service line at 985-643-6140.