Commission approves water resources conservation and emergency plan

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The Shelby County Commission tonight approved a resolution to adopt a water resources conservation and emergency plan. The plan detailed what residential and commercial customers and what wholesale customers of Shelby County Water Services should do in various levels of drought, as well as what triggers the different levels of response.

“We’ve been required by the office of water resources with ADECA [Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs] to submit a formalized water conservation plan, and that’s what this is,” said county Water Services Manager Michael Cain. “This just puts into writing what we’ve been practicing.”

The plan is intended to provide guidance for retail and wholesale customers during a time when water resource availability is hampered either through natural causes, such as a drought, or through mechanical or electrical failures, according to the document. A public hearing was opened before the plan was approved, but no one was present to speak for or against the plan.

During the drought in 2007, the county started a water conservation plan with voluntary restrictions. Most customers complied with those restrictions, Cain said, and even though there were plans in place in case further action was needed, it was not necessary to go any further.

“What this document does is it really ties it all together,” Cain said.

The commission unanimously approved the resolution regarding the water conservation plan.

The commission also approved a resolution to accept a bid for 595 water meters.

“This is going to carry us essentially for three years,” Cain said. “It really depends on development, how much we have to put in, how many meters we have to change out.”

The meters are used throughout the county’s water system, Cain said, and they will be used both as new meters and to replace old meters.

“It just kind of depends. We’ve got a wide array of use of meters out in our system that are fairly old, compared to some that are fairly new,” Cain said. He noted that there are some meters in the Greystone area from the 1990s, while there are some in Westover from the 1970s. “We replace those as we need to.”

County Engineer Randy Cole also told the commission they are gearing up for the upcoming legislative session and plan to ask the legislature to consider a gas tax to fund ATRIP-2, which could create revenue for counties across the state. A benefit of ATRIP-2 is that the funds would not be federal, which ATRIP is, and there would be fewer restrictions. “We could do roads we could not consider with ATRIP,” Cole said.

He added that the measure would need the support of commissions throughout the state, and they may bring a resolution regarding support for ATRIP-2 in front of the commission for consideration as soon as next commission meeting.

Also during the meeting:

  • County Community Services Manager Reggie Holloway discussed a handout which the commissioners received, which made a recommendation to enact a clause in the county’s cable franchise agreement that automatically renews two cable providers — AT&T and Charter — and to put one provider on a 180-day suspension. This third provider, Zito Media, would be monitored over the 180-day period, and if they do not comply, Holloway said they would ask for “total suspension, and possible termination” of the agreement. Zito serves Shelby and Columbiana, Holloway said. Charter previously gave up its agreement for that area rather than update the system as needed, and Zito has not updated the system either. 
  • The commission approved a bid for ortho-polyphosphate blend liquid.
  • The commission approved a resolution to plane, resurface and put a permanent stripe on County Road 13, between the Bibb County line and County Road 52.
  • The commission approved a resolution to appoint Senta Goldman to the Board of Directors of the Eleventh Area of Alabama Opportunity Action Committee, which aims to alleviate the causes and conditions of poverty in communities and to help low income individuals become self-sufficient.