Following a meeting of the Sabine Parish Police Jury on August 20 where several concerned citizens spoke regarding water sales, the Sabine River Authority of Louisiana provided a letter to the jury regarding the current reality of such sales.
“I felt that the SRA should respond with information that may help in your understanding of the issue,” wrote SRA Executive Director Warren founds to the jury. “Please understand that our current board, while aware of the previous board’s action regarding a water sale, has not made a determination on whether to consider moving forward with the selling of any water outof- state.”
He continues that in 2022, the board authorized a letter of intent with Aqueduct Partners that expired in fall of 2024. Around the same time, Gov. Jeff Landry appointed a new slate of SRA commissioners. Aqueduct Partners is still interested in pursuing a sale, but the current board has tabled the issue until some of the current board members’ questions can be addressed. Their staff is pursuing answers to their questions and will provide them to the newly appointed Power and Water Sales Committee for their consideration.
Founds letter continues to outline what must happen for any out-ofstate water sales. The sale must receive concurrence, by resolution, of at least two-thirds of the governing authorities of the parishes within the territorial jurisdiction of the authority by a twothirds vote of the members of each of the parish governing authorities. That means the police juries of all six parishes in the basin, which includes DeSoto, Sabine, Vernon, Beauregard, Calcasieu, and Cameron.
“In compliance with the state statute, please know that if the SRA votes to consider an outof- state water sale, we will seek your approval,” Founds writes. “We would respectfully request and appreciate the jury not taking any action until and if you are presented a formal request from our board that would include terms and conditions of a proposed out-of-state water sale.”
Also included with the letter was an informational packet regarding the SRA which is published on both the Facebook pages of The Sabine Index and the Sabine Parish Police Jury.