Water-rate presentation set for April 9 as debate over impact continues

Anonymous campaign-style mailer aims to stir interest

MANDEVILLE — A long-anticipated presentation on Mandeville’s water and sewer rate overhaul is scheduled for the City Council’s April 9 meeting, as city officials continue to face questions from residents about the impact and structure of the new system.

The agenda lists a presentation by Grady Reed of Manchac Consulting Group on “Water and Sewer Rate Changes,” marking the first formal opportunity in months for a detailed public explanation of how the current rates were developed and what they are intended to achieve.

The presentation comes after a series of meetings and public discussions in which the revised rate structure — particularly its tiered pricing model — has drawn scrutiny from residents, especially those with higher water usage.

From gradual increases to tiered pricing

The city’s water-rate planning has evolved over the past several years.

Earlier analyses contemplated a more gradual approach to rate adjustments, while more recent presentations introduced a tiered structure that increases the per-gallon cost as usage rises. The current model also incorporates changes to sewer billing, which had previously remained largely unchanged.

City officials have said the adjustments — based on recommendations from Manchac Consulting Group — were necessary to address revenue needs within the utility enterprise fund and to maintain eligibility for state funding tied to federally supported infrastructure programs.

At the same time, the shift to tiered pricing has resulted in significantly higher bills for high-volume customers, particularly during the initial 6-week transition to the new system in August 2025.

Anonymous mailer stokes public pressure aimed at meeting

In the days leading up to the April 9 meeting, a citywide anonymous bulk mailer has circulated among Mandeville residents, sharply criticizing the city’s water and sewer rate changes and urging public attention ahead of the scheduled presentation.

The mailer, branded “Watergate Mandeville,” features six-month-old headlines referencing prior local media coverage of high water bills and claims that some residents saw bills reach into the thousands of dollars.

However, the media reports cited in the mailer appear limited to early coverage of the issue and do not reflect subsequent reporting, including more recent indications that bills for high-usage customers have stabilized closer to the levels projected in earlier rate studies following the initial transition period.

The piece directs recipients to a website and encourages them to attend the April 9 council meeting, framing the issue as one requiring immediate public scrutiny.

Notably, the mailer does not include any disclosure identifying who paid for or distributed it. No political committee, organization or individual is named on the material, and it does not appear tied to any declared campaign.

The anonymous nature of the mailer, combined with its wide distribution, suggests a coordinated effort to stoke public unrest ahead of future elections or potential ballot initiatives, rather than a purely grassroots effort.

What the presentation may address

The April 9 presentation is expected to outline the methodology behind the current rates, including how projected revenues, operating costs and long-term infrastructure needs were incorporated into the model.

Key areas likely to be addressed include:

• How the tiered rate structure was developed and its intended purpose
• How sewer charges are calculated under the current system
• How Mandeville’s rates compare to other municipalities in the region
• Whether the current structure is designed as a long-term solution or subject to future adjustment
  

The presentation may also provide updated examples of monthly bills across different usage levels, offering a clearer picture of how the rates affect typical and high-volume customers.

-30-

---

© 2026 Mandeville Daily. All rights reserved. Republishing permitted with attribution and link to the original article.