BATON ROUGE — Starting in October, East Baton Rouge Parish residents and business owners will be eligible for a 20% discount on their flood insurance premiums, Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome announced Monday.

The discount stems from the parish's elevation to a Class 6 rating on the National Flood Insurance Program's Community Rating System. The FEMA-determined rating was elevated following their evaluation of the parish's floodplain management activities and commitment to reducing flood risks, a release says.

The discount is a slight increase from the 15% under the previous rating. 

"We remain committed to leading our community towards greater disaster resilience. Our hard work means an additional 5% discount for EBR property owners, saving them an additional $700,000 a year. This achievement shows our commitment to reducing flood potential in Baton Rouge while reducing the financial burden of flood insurance on our residents and homeowners," Broome said.