LA HB601

Caps monthly water and wastewater charges for essential residential usage (up to 4,000 gallons) at 4.5% of a municipality's median household income in qualifying municipalities with poverty rates exceeding 30% or median household income below 50% of the statewide median

Requires municipal utility systems to provide written notice, free meter testing, and public disclosure of rate methodology when residential rates increase more than 10% within 12 months

Mandates billing corrections retroactive up to six months and meter replacement when meters are found inaccurate beyond industry standards

Allows municipal utilities to petition the Louisiana Department of Health for temporary compliance relief if the affordability cap would impair bond obligations, violate environmental regulations, or create insolvency risk

Requires qualifying municipalities to establish administrative review processes for affordability compliance and billing disputes, with any advisory panels issuing only nonbinding recommendations