Water War In Prichard

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By Diana Lucio

M50o93H7pQ09L8X1t49cHY01Z5j4TT91fGfr Water War In Prichard

Published: Thu, November 01, 2007 - 4:50 pm
Last Updated: Thursday, November 01, 2007 - 5:25 pm

If you live in Prichard, your water bill will go up today (Thursday). The fifteen percent increase, has been put in place by the Prichard Waterboard. The Waterboard says the increase will help pay for much needed improvements to the sewer system. But residents are not happy.

Betty Rogers has spent the last thirty years here in Prichard. She says people living here can't afford the 15 percent increase in their water bill. So that's why she's out here with this petition. Rogers says she plans to send these signatures to state leaders.
"We want this down and I'm not gonna stop and the people don't need to think I'll stop. But if I can't get it from them, part of this is going to the Department of Justice," said, Betty Rogers, Resident.But Roger's has not had any trouble gaining support. She's been sitting outside of the Waterboard for the past week. So far she says she has over a thousand signatures. Betty Mickles is one of them.
"We all need to join together sign the petition and get some help because the, we are not getting more money and the economy that we're in now, we just can't afford raises, "said Betty Mickles, Resident.
Charles Mason says that's how most people feel. That's why he's here helping Rogers.
"I mean you should have people not only at the meetings, but at city hall raising hell because of the rates they're having to pay," said Mason, Resident.
Mason says it's going to take more than a petition to get the message across to city officials about the water situation. So he brought this printer along to make copies of people's water bills to possibly set up legal action against the water board. "It's probably a done deal unless we can get enough people complaints and get it to the lawyer so start some type of legal action. Taking it to these politicians, I'm not sure it will do very much good, " said Mason.
The Waterboard says the water rate increase will show up in next month's billing cycle.

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