Water shortages causing tensions

The lingering drought is being blamed for water shortages in parts of Colbert County and for causing tensions among communities that are buying water from Muscle Shoals.

Tuscumbia, Littleville and Spring Valley officials are pleading with their residents to conserve water, as the area continues to deal with a drought that has not been duplicated in the Shoals in more than 100 years.

As the supply and water pressure get lower and lower in some rural communities, water authorities are having to deal with a 74 percent increase in what they pay for water that is provided by Muscle Shoals.

The board overseeing the water department in Muscle Shoals sent a letter last week notifying the entities they deal with that, beginning July 1, they will be charged $2.35 per thousand gallons of water.

Muscle Shoals currently charges $1.35 per thousand gallons.

"We're looking at a $700 per day increase on our county water system," said John Bedford, Colbert County's engineer who also oversees the water system. "We're looking at over $255,000 more per year, with this increase.

"It's ludicrous to say their production cost has gone up $1 per thousand gallons since they raised the rate by 10 cents, maybe a year ago. How they justify a $1 increase is unimaginable. Water production just does not cost $2.35 per thousand gallons."

Bedford said it costs about $1 to produce a thousand gallons at most water plants. That does not include distribution charges, though.

David Yarber, a member of the Muscle Shoals water board, said he and other board members "would strongly disagree with Mr. Bedford's claim."

John Savage, chairman of the water board, said the increase was not made in an attempt to "kick anyone."

"We didn't do it to upset anyone or to start a war," Savage said. "We're doing this to protect our system."

Savage said the issue came up when the board was looking over its finances in the wake of its water manager leaving.

"The board has been trying to get on top of things and we consulted our accountant because we were losing money."

"We asked him to analyze what it costs for our water system to produce a thousand gallons of water. He reported that with the increase in the cost of chemicals and maintaining equipment, the actual cost is close to $2.

"We had to do something. We raised it to where our accountant told us it needed to be."

Yarber said 40 percent of the water produced in Muscle Shoals goes to other entities, which has taxed the city's supply.

"We couldn't continue at that rate," he said. "We were selling it for $1.35 (per thousand gallons) and it was costing us $1.80)."

Bedford said the Muscle Shoals water system, which is operated independently of city operations, would make an additional $26,000 per month just from the county and Spring Valley.

The increase is being felt in Tuscumbia, too.

Tuscumbia has been buying water from Muscle Shoals and Sheffield in recent weeks as the demand has increased. Utilities Manager David Thornton said his system can produce only 2.2 million gallons a day, but they're selling 2.5 million gallons or more on some days.

Tuscumbia sells water to Liittleville.

Thornton said it costs his operation about $1.20 to produce a thousand gallons of water.

Officials with other water authorities that purchase water from Muscle Shoals say the extra costs will likely be passed on to their customers.

Bedford said he will give county commissioners an overview of the situation at their meeting today. He said he expects the county to look at its legal options and alternative water sources.

"Unless commissioners decide to absorb the extra cost, it would have to be passed on to the customers," Bedford said. "Each customer would, on the average, pay about $150 more a year, or about $12 per month. To drop this bombshell, especially at this time, is a big blow."

Thornton said Tuscumbia can likely handle the increase since it does not purchase a great amount of water from Muscle Shoals, about 300,000 to 400,000 gallons on rare occasions.

He said buying water from Muscle Shoals, when the increase begins, will affect operations in Tuscumbia. He has researched other options.

Thornton asked the council Monday night to approve emergency work that would allow the city to tie in to the Sheffield system near Rain Tree subdivision.

He said when Tuscumbia purchases water from Sheffield now, it has to be passed through Muscle Shoals and then on to Tuscumbia since there aren't any direct ties between Sheffield and Tuscumbia.

Thornton added that having a direct tie with Sheffield would reduce Tuscumbia's cost in light of the increase.

Spring Valley officials are considering a rate increase. They get most of their water from Muscle Shoals, using about 600,000 gallons each day.

"We'll have to have a rate increase on our customers," said Melissa Tidwell, certified operator at Spring Valley. "An increase like this is hard for a small system to handle.

"With people who are on a fixed income or living month to month with their paychecks, it's going to be especially hard. The increase could be at least $10 per month."

She said the system recently received a loan to improve water lines in the Spring Valley district. The plan was to replace about 3 miles of line on LaGrange Road. She said it won't happen now. "Our hands are tied."

Tidwell said her system was notified by a faxed letter Friday, giving them 15 days to prepare for the increase.

Bedford also raised concern that there wasn't any discussion or justification in the letter sent Friday.

Savage said he tried to contact each entity that the Muscle Shoals water board deals with, but was only able to reach Thornton.

With all the debate about the increase aside, all of the systems are asking residents to reduce the amount of water they use. They're requesting that residents suspend watering their lawns and gardens, and washing vehicles until the situation improves.

Thornton said the city is asking for residents to voluntarily reduce water consumption. If the drought continues, though, he said, it might be necessary to pass a city ordinance that would mandate that residents not water their lawns, wash their vehicles, etc.

Littleville water board member Jimmie Slay said the board has sent notifications asking customers to conserve water so they will have water in the household.

Slay said they've asked city employees to go out into the town and patrol to make sure people aren't overusing water.

"It's hard to do because people don't realize it's a shortage and it's serious," Slay said. "We don't want people to get completely out of water,"

Littleville is experiencing low water pressure because of the shortage of water in the system.

He fears the town won't be able to get water from Tuscumbia if the drought continues.

"We're dangerously low on water," Slay said. "This drought has hit us hard. This is the worst I've ever seen in my 62 years."

TimesDaily Managing Editor Mike Goens contributed to this report.