Members of the new regional water works board on Monday are to discuss halting a structural repair project on Lake Purdy Dam because of financial concerns, although dam failure could risk property, lives and water service.
The board over the embattled water utility renamed it the City of Birmingham Regional Water Works, which will operate as Central Alabama Water.
A transformer failed at one of the water-intake facilities that serves the Western Filter Plant and a large leak developed in a pipe at the other. The Birmingham Water Works Board was advised to declare both situations emergencies to cover quick repairs and is expected to take the idea up in its meeting Tuesday.
The new Birmingham Water Works Board voided a contract approved at the 11th hour by the former board that made the Water Works’ long-time outside attorney an employee.
New water board members met in their first work session Monday and learned more about the utility’s projects and problems.
A new regional board over the Birmingham Water Works, created by a new law signed last week, met for the first time Wednesday.
The attorney general says the Birmingham Water Works Board was abolished Wednesday before it voted to accept the city’s purchase offer.
The offer to buy the utility is an attempt to block a new law the governor signed Wednesday that would restructure that board and lessen Birmingham’s influence over it.
The new law restructures the Birmingham Water Works Board as a regional board and reduces the city of Birmingham’s influence.
The city of Birmingham is asking a federal judge to stop the state from changing membership on the Birmingham Water Works Board and reducing the city’s influence over the utility.
