With a vote scheduled Thursday that could double water rates in New Orleans by 2020, Sewerage & Water Board officials on Wednesday bowed to public pressure and spelled out how they plan to spend $582.7 million in extra money. The New Orleans City Council appears likely to approve the rate increase, backed aggressively by Mayor Mitch Landrieu over the objections of Council President Stacy Head, who has called for a two-to-four-week delay to obtain more information.


