From The Trussville Tribune staff reports
BIRMINGHAM — The Birmingham Water Works Board voted on Tuesday to increase consumer’s rates to 3.9% after a 5-1 vote.
The rate increase will affect nearly 600,000 people. This follows a yearly rate increase that has occurred throughout the past 10 years. According to spokesman Rick Jackson, the money is needed to pay off debt and to invest in infrastructure.
The public utility’s debt has grown to $957 million. The argument for the rate increase is that it would lessen the utility’s debt to $755 million by 2030.
“We have over 4,000 miles of main that we have to maintain, millions of gallons of water that have to be treated on the daily so we want to maintain that quality water at an affordable price,” Jackson said to ABC 33/40 several weeks ago.
There had been discussion regarding a 4.6% rate increase, but that idea never gained traction.
Secretary-Treasurer Ronald Mims was the only dissenting vote.
Close to a quarter of Alabama receives their water from Birmingham Water Works.