MAWSS Rate Hike Headed Your Way

Mawss Hike The rate hike could mean an additional $10 a month.

by Chad Petri

Published: Thu, November 20, 2008 - 4:36 pm CST Last Updated: Thu, November 20, 2008 - 5:12 pm CST

When you're busy making ends meet, a water rate increase can take you by surprise.

“That is not cool,” says Customer Kelly Hughes. Most people we talked to say their bills are high enough.

“In all honesty you're stretching it now, you're scared to use the water as it is because the sewer and all the taxes that are attached to it,” says customer Marydean Wilber. While most of the people we spoke with say they're not happy having to pay more for their water MAWSS officials say they're also being stretched thin.

“No matter which way we look costs have gone up, and no matter which way we look, expectations for our service are up,” says MAWSS Director Malcolm Steeves. He says everybody would get an additional $4 tacked on to their bill plus an increase based on how much water you use. The average household uses 5000 gallons a month. That would come out to an extra 10 dollars. Most of the people at Thursday's public hearing were MAWSS retirees--customers find it hard to get to a meeting in the middle of the workday.

“I don't think that's fair because most people are working,” says Kelly Hughes. The budget still needs to be approved for the rate hike to take affect. Changes won't hit your bill until February next year. There are still a few public hearings to attend if you want to make your opinion known. All subsequent meetings will be held at MAWSS’ Dennis Moore Training Center at 210 Cox Street in Mobile:

Board Meeting—Monday, December 1st at 1:15 pm
Public Hearing—Thursday, December 11th at 6 pm
Board Meeting—Monday, December 15th at 1:15 pm

If you can’t attend any of these meetings you can send your comments in writing to this address:

Sally Berry
Comptroller
Mobile Area Water and Sewer System
PO Box 2368
Mobile, AL 36652-2368

You can check out a breakdown of the new rates here. You can also contact MAWSS through their website here.

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BamaBob Says:

Fri, Nov 21, 2008 at 9:42 am

One time I did do an internet search on how to do your own well. I wanted it to water the grass and keep the pool filled. I was told that I wasn’t supposed to use well water to fill the pool though. I figured it was my pool and would be my well. Never got around to following up on that one…

carl Says:

Fri, Nov 21, 2008 at 9:36 am

That’s basically what we do here in Saraland.Your sewage bill depends on what water you use.You know it’s not all that hard to put a shallow well down by your self and it doesn’t cost that much for a pump and tank.You could use it to take baths with,wash your car,water your grass and save a lot on water and sewage.But you know me,I wouldn’t do anything like that.

DEW26M Says:

Fri, Nov 21, 2008 at 8:43 am

BamaBob, the last one I had installed was about 2800$ but that was some time back, and in Wilmer,Alabama. I’m sure it’s higher now. Problem is the city/county won’t let you install one if you have the option to use city water in some areas. They kinda force you to hook up to it, and pay the outrageous fees. I lived in Mobile, behind Kate Shepard school, and we were forced to pay a “sewer fee” based on how much water we used, even though we had a SEPTIC TANK, and did not use the City’s Sewage Disposal. Kinda crazy huh!!! That’s Mobile for ya!!!

BamaBob Says:

Fri, Nov 21, 2008 at 8:24 am

What’s a water well go for these days?

I’m not on the MAWSS and have not heard anything about my water bill going up. I’m sure the area annexed in Theodore is on the same system I am on, so I wonder how that will work. Of course, most of us do not have sewage and other fees attached to our bills either, so it will be interesting to see how all that plays out.

Alabama Patriot Says:

Fri, Nov 21, 2008 at 7:27 am

You are right. All of these people were warned about the hidden costs of joining the city. Many of their expenses will go up, houses will be foreclosed on when the higher property taxes kick in, people will file bankruptcy to get out of debt, cars and trucks will be reposessed, kids will be taken out of schools, and no one will be able to go downtown to spend money because they have already given it to the city. This will affect everyone. Some people will be exempted from the increased costs of joining the city, but most will really begin to feel the affects shortly. Many will wonder if a few streetlights and *free* garbage pickup is worth losing their home and going into poverty. I hope that the people that voted for the annexation are proud of theirselves!!! No one else is - except with the exception of the greedy mayor of Mobile.

Sirk Says:

Thu, Nov 20, 2008 at 5:58 pm

I guess this increase will apply to all the people who wanted to be annexed into the City of Mobile huh? Well, it will be for the people who didn’t have a choice about the vote either.

justme Says:

Thu, Nov 20, 2008 at 5:45 pm

Heaven Forbid that they trim the excess of workers who stand around work sites without doing any work, or the Rude people that we have to deal with when we go to pay our bill, or even to turn the engines off on their trucks and cars when they are working or sitting behind shopping centers or out doing their shopping, Heaven Forbid that they even give a care for the people they supposily serve.