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November 11, 2009

County hikes water rates

By Patrick McCreless The Cullman Times

CULLMAN — Cullman County water customers can expect higher monthly rates beginning in December.

During their regular meeting Tuesday, the Cullman County Commission voted to increase water rates by 10.07 percent. The new rates, which should take effect Dec. 1, will increase monthly bills by between $2.50 and $3.50.

County Commissioner Doug Williams said part of the rate increase was necessary to cover the approximately $5.8 million cost of state and federally mandated upgrades to part of the county’s water system.

“This has nothing to do with the discussion over the city and county water plans,” Williams said. “Whatever we do, this has got to get done.”

The city plans to build a dam reservoir at Duck River to create a second water source for the area. The county recently proposed an alternative plan to treat water from Smith Lake.

Williams said the upgrades would bring the county into compliance with new federal regulations slated to take affect in 2012. Part of the regulations involve decreasing the level of disinfection byproducts in water distribution systems.

Disinfection byproducts are formed when disinfectants from treatment plants react with organic matter in water. The longer water has to travel in a water system to reach customers, the more disinfection byproducts will develop.

The upgrades will include placing larger pipes in the Stouts Mountain and Trimble areas as well as on County Road 616, Highway 69 and County Road 222, thereby lowering the concentration of disinfection byproducts in the water.

The rest of the rate increase will cover the city of Cullman Utilities Board’s 5.78 percent water cost increase. The county currently purchases all its water from the city.

“Every year the city gives us a water rate increase that begins Oct. 1,” Williams said. “They don’t tell us what that rate is until springtime of the following year. So every year we look at the average increases over the last 10 years and we go ahead and go up ... so we’ll have the money.”

In another disscussed topic related to county water, the commission gave their county administrator authority to investigate possible financing to drill wells in the area. Williams said two wells, which would cost an estimated $3,845,050, could possibly provide another 2 million gallons of water a day to the county’s supply.

“If we add the water wells to the system, that drops back our concern about drought,” Williams said.

Williams noted that the well proposal has nothing to do with the city or county’s second water source plans.

“We will still do this even if we go with Duck River,” he said. “After you construct the well, it’s basically free water.”

The meeting was continued until 9 a.m. Thursday, at which time they will decide whether to add a provision for an employee pay supplement to the county personnel handbook.



Patrick McCreless can be reached by e-mail at patrickm@cullmantimes.com or by telephone at 734-2131 ext. 270.

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