For more than a year, three St. Tammany women have taken on Central States Water Resources (CSWR)/Magnolia and the Louisiana Public Service Commission in opposition to the utility company’s continued efforts to increase its rates statewide. For Connie Norris, whose frustration and battles with Magnolia Water began years prior, enough is enough. Now she’s stepping up to help customers from a more empowered position: she’s running to replace District 1 Public Service Commissioner Erik Skrmetta, whose term expires in December.  

On November 3, LPSC District 1 customers who share Connie’s frustration will have an opportunity to send a message to both the utility company and the Louisiana Public Service Commission that is tasked with regulating them.

The right to clean water and reliable service at an affordable rate isn’t a partisan issue: it’s a basic human need. For CSWR/Magnolia Water to be entrusted as the monopoly water and sewer utility company is both a privilege and a serious responsibility—one which should not be abused.

NEARLY 4,000 CUSTOMERS AGREE

When we first launched this petition, it was to oppose CSWR/Magnolia Water’s efforts to impose a third substantial rate increase on its customers in 2025, with some customers experiencing more than 300% rate increases over a three-year period due to the company’s Formula Rate Plan (FRP.) (See details and concerns in the original petition.) The petition has since garnered nearly 4,000 signatures.

Unfortunately, despite numerous customer protests, that 2025 rate increase was approved by the Public Service Commission as the third increase of the three-year plan.

STILL TO COME: THREE MORE YEARS OF INCREASES?

Despite the extreme rate increases thus far, CSWR/Magnolia Water aren’t finished, and they submitted a request to the Louisiana Public Service Commission for an additional three-year FRP plan, laying the groundwork for increases in 2026-2028.

On January 14, 2025, when Commissioner Eric Skrmetta spoke before a community meeting packed with irate Magnolia Water Customers at Northshore Harbor Center, he promised that after the “temporary” rate increases by Magnolia Water, the rates would go back down. The utility company’s request for another three more years of increases would ultimately prove that statement was false. The company claimed that they were filing the FRP extension request well in advance of when it would be necessary to “save customers money.” Given the extensive (and undoubtedly costly) legal battles thus far, that’s highly unlikely.

THREE WARRIORS CHALLENGING THE STATUS QUO

What CSWR/Magnolia Water did NOT anticipate was what happened next. Three courageous women who had been part of the original petition seeking to stop the 2025 rate increases stepped up to vigorously oppose the premature request for a new FRP for potential rate increases from 2026-2028.

Magnolia Water customers Connie Norris, Cindy Case-Brown and Anne Paulter refused to sit back and accept even more rate increases without a fight. They said NO to poor water quality, unreliable service and the highest water and sewer rates in the state, plus CSWR/Magnolia’s business model that focuses on continued acquisition of failing water systems to offset the company’s Return on Equity and qualify for Louisiana Public Service Commission’s rate increase approval.

That has led to countless legal filings, testimonies, hearings and more spanning nearly a year, racking up exorbitant legal fees for CSWR’s attorney—yet the Intervenors forged ahead, without compensation. They were subject to intimidating comments and bullying tactics, including a demand from CSWR’s attorney that they submit their personal income tax filings, utility bills and more, which the judge rightfully ruled irrelevant to this case.

The battle scars of this endeavor can be found in LPSC Docket Number U-37584:

https://lpscpubvalence.lpsc.louisiana.gov/portal/PSC/DocketDetails?docketId=32333

At present, the most recent posting includes Connie’s post-hearing brief and Intervenor’s Separate Findings of Facts:

https://lpscpubvalence.lpsc.louisiana.gov/portal/PSC/ViewFile?fileId=xrtvatVxMSY%3D

We encourage everyone who signed this petition to read (or glance over) Connie’s post-hearing brief, which summarizes the long, hard battle she has fought—again, without compensation—on behalf of Magnolia Water Customers.

If, as a citizen, Connie is willing to fight this hard to represent the people, imagine what she can do as a Public Service Commissioner.

She’ll be on the ballot on November 3, as will the candidates for PSC District 5. Please vote wisely.

Here’s a helpful guide to timelines and the new procedures that apply to the Public Service Commission voting via the Alliance for Affordable Energy:

https://www.all4energy.org/watchdog/la-elects-two-new-psc-commissioners-in-a-new-way/

We encourage those who have received this update to share with family, friends and colleagues who are Magnolia Water Customers or on the radar for a future acquisition.

Every voice and every vote matter.