City Council approves water fee compromise, talks distracted driving

The Huntsville City Council voted in favor of an ordinance allowing Huntsville Utilities to raise the cost of water to accommodate infrastructure improvement with the compromise to lessen proposed usage fees and discussed an ordinance that would more strictly enforce distracted driving laws.

Collaboration between council members Devyn Keith and John Meredith, along with Huntsville Utilities CEO Wes Kelley, resulted in five amendments to the original water fee schedule increase proposal. First, the highest tiers of residential usage will be moved to the next 6000 gallons and over 12,000 gallons rather than next 9000 gallons and over 15,000 gallons.

They also changed prices per thousand gallons in each residential tier. The first tier of usage will be lowered from $1.80 to $1.70 per gallon, allowing those who are conservative with their water usage to save money. The next categories are raised from $2.31 to $3.21, $2.58 to $3.48, and $4.06 to $4.96, respectively. The council raised the residential sprinkler rate from $4.06 to $4.96 per one thousand gallons. Fourth, they have created a new availability charge of $14 for 5/8 inch meters.

Finally, common master meter availability charge for apartments will decrease from $16.67 to $14.

These lessened fees will still result in higher water bills, but those who use water to average and conservative degrees will experience a less dramatic change than they would have without those compromises.

“If you’re right in that average of 4,400 gallons instead of $6.58 it’s going up $4.87. I label it as moderate, but it’s pretty aggressive,” said Kelly. 

Commercial water usage fees have not changed from the initial proposal.

Water prices will still remain low relative to Huntsville Utilities’ nationwide peer group of 40 utilities. Within the peer group, the median average per year is $500 yearly per customer compared to $250 yearly per customer in Huntsville at its current rate. The new fees will apply as soon as billing software can accommodate; originally, the intention was to implement the new fees on October 1, but it may be pushed to November 1.

The Huntsville City Council also discussed an ordinance that, if approved, would move mobile device usage while driving from a secondary offense to a primary one. While mobile device usage is already unlawful, secondary offenses do not warrant probable cause for a traffic stop. 

If someone is pulled over for a primary offense, they may also be ticketed for a secondary offense, in this case distracted driving. As a primary offense, distracted driving with inappropriate use of a mobile device for entertainment or non-emergency contact that requires the driver to physically support the device, would be grounds for a traffic stop. Emergency calls and minimal phone usage for navigation purposes would still be allowed. Keith expressed concern for the inconvenience citizens could encounter to go to court without being convicted as mobile phone usage while driving is a difficult offense to prove. 

Councilperson David Little’s perspective is that discouraging the behavior of distracted driving is of greater priority than convicting offenders. The motion was postponed until September 28 as city council members would like to hear from the police chief for his perspective before voting.

As part of Huntsville Music Month, The Huntsville High School Band played on City Hall’s lawn just before the city council meeting. Dani Caines, who was praised as one of Huntsville’s most dynamic voices, performed “The Star-Spangled Banner” during the city council meeting. City council members applauded both performances.

For more information or to tune into the next council meeting, please visit www.huntsvilleal.gov/government/city-council.

Cover image courtesy of SellersPhoto.