North Shelby Treatment Plant
The North Shelby Treatment Plant is a wastewater treatment facility serving approximately 4,400 sewer customers in Northern Shelby County, including the Eagle Point and Greystone subdivisions. The plant was constructed by the County, but sold in 2005 for $8.5 million. It is currently operated by the Southwest Water Company of Los Angeles, California,
Customers connected to the plant by sewer piping pay a flat monthly rate to the utility. The terms of the sale allowed Southwest Water to raise rates by 8% per year through 2016, with exceptions for higher regulatory expenses and inflation. In 2006 the Environmental Protection Agency and Alabama Department of Environmental Management found excess phosphorus in run-off from the plant, necessitating $9 million in upgrades.
monthly sewer bill by year
- 2004: $32.00
- 2005: $40.88
- 2006: $34.56 (+ 8%)
- 2007: $37.32 (+ 8%)
- 2008: $40.31 (+ 8%)
- 2009: $45.95 (+ 14%)
- 2010: $51.63 (+ 10.8%)
- 2011: $57.21 (+ 11%)
- 2012: $69.66 (+ 21.8%)
- 2013: $84.96 (+ 23.2%)
References
- Daniels, Malcomb (March 31, 2010) "Treatment plant to get $7.2 million upgrade." The Birmingham News
- Kennedy, Veronica (January 12, 2012) "North Shelby County sewer rates spike more than 70 percent since 2008." The Birmingham News
- Archibald, John (January 16, 2013) "Shelby County sold out sewer ratepayers, and now the people pay." The Birmingham News