Birmingham, AL – Birmingham area residents will pay an average of $50 more next year for water service.
Birmingham Water Works is raising its rates 13 percent starting next month, about $4.20 more per month for the average customer. Water Works spokeswoman Binnie Myles said the rate hike will pay for increasing power and pumping costs, as well as rising license fees.
Myles says annual operating costs have gone up $1.5 million.
Originally, Water Works planned to raise prices just 7.4 percent, but operating costs continued to climb.
The company serves 600,000 customers in Jefferson, Shelby, Blount, Walker and St. Clair counties.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)