Relief From High Water Rates?

People in Prichard who pay $80 to $90 or more for water each month may be getting some relief.
That's the word from the Prichard Waterworks and Sewer Board after board members voted to contract out all of its day-to-day operations to a Pennsylvania company.
But not everyone is so sure there will be savings.
The board voted unanimously Thursday afternoon to approve a ten year, $78 million contract with the Severn Trent Water company from Pennsylvania.
Water Board Attorney Willie Huntley said, "I believe that there won't be any rate increases for at least three years and, I think after that three year period, there will be or could be some savings if they realize that's going to reduce customer bills."
When asked how the company might be able to save $14 million over ten years, Terry Duffy with Severn Trent Water said, "At this time, I'd rather not comment. We're just happy that we're going to provide an excellent service to the city of Prichard."
But Severia Morris with the group Concerned Citizens of Prichard doubts the money savings.
She said, "I don't think that that's true. I don't think its realistic at all."
Morris also believes the board should have awarded the contract to MAWSS, the Mobile Area Water and Sewer System.
She said, "We buy our water from MAWSS, so common sense would tell Mr. Huntley and the board that there's automatically a savings there because that cuts out the middleman."
But Huntley said, "We looked at what MAWSS would offer and I believe that the savings that were offered by MAWSS wouldn't meet the savings that would be generated with the contract with Severn Trent."
Morris said her group plans to go to court to stop the transfer to Severn Trent.