Judge Delays Contempt Hearing on Sewerage Board
A court has pushed the hearing on business owners' contempt request against the Sewerage and Water Board to November 17.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Construction
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A court postponed the hearing on a contempt request against the Sewerage and Water Board to November 17. Business owners allege the board violated a July consent judgment on the French Quarter construction project.
Why it matters
Business owners say the project has cost them profits and caused physical damage to their buildings. The outcome of the contempt request could determine whether the board must follow stricter requirements for the rest of the work in New Orleans' French Quarter.
The July consent judgment requires 72 hours' notice before any street closure and removal of barricades where no active work is underway. The board has not said whether it has met those requirements, and its completion date remains unconfirmed.
The players
Sewerage and Water Board
The New Orleans agency responsible for drinking water, drainage and sewer service, which is the defendant in the contempt request over the French Quarter project.
The details
Business owners asked the court to hold the Sewerage and Water Board in contempt, alleging it has not followed the consent judgment signed in July. Fences, barricades and street closures have been in place since September 2025, and the judge postponed the originally scheduled Wednesday hearing to November 17 as an evidentiary hearing.
Timeline
September 2025: Fences, barricades and street closures began for the French Quarter project.
July 2026: A civil court judge signed the consent judgment setting requirements for the board.
Wednesday, November 5, 2026: The contempt hearing was originally scheduled and then postponed.
November 17, 2026: The rescheduled evidentiary hearing on the contempt request.
Market Landscape
The dispute centers on whether the board is complying with the July consent judgment that sets notice and barricade rules for the French Quarter project. The contempt request asks the court to enforce those terms during the remaining work.
Residents and business owners near the French Quarter project face continued street closures and barricades until the board completes the work. The outcome of the contempt request will determine how strictly the consent judgment's notice and barricade rules are enforced.
The takeaway
Business owners near the French Quarter project should track the November 17 hearing, since its outcome may affect how long barricades and street closures remain in place. Anyone affected can monitor the court docket for updates on the contempt request.
What happens next
The court will hold an evidentiary hearing on the contempt request on November 17, 2026.
Further reading
For more on local building projects, see New Orleans Construction.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WDSU News.
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