Commissioners Want to Fight the Hike

A purely commercial interest. That's what one Hamilton County Commissioner is calling Tennessee-American Water Company's proposed rate increase. The hearings continue -- and Wednesday the "Fight the Hike" citizen's group addressed the county commission.

On Monday we told you about this hearing and just how high the hike might go. Less than a year ago, Tennessee-American Water raised its rates more than 12 percent, now they want to raise them again, by almost 21 percent. But after hearing both sides of the water war, commissioners agreed with those wanting to fight the hike.

Randy Baker is part of the group fighting the almost 21 percent hike. He says that slope is leading customers to pay more while Tennessee-American Water makes more. "So this isn't a small thing and yes they say it's less than a penny a gallon and less it's 12 cents a day, and yes for a typical customer it's $3.65 and that seems so insignificant on the surface of it."

But what's running underneath the surface of the latest proposed water hike is what those against it say isn't clear. he says, "We're afraid this is a very slippery slope that is irreverseable."

And today Hamilton County Commissioners agreed. John Brooks says, "I've been against rate increase I think it's something done purely for commercial interest."

And others agree that commercial interest shouldn't hurt the interests of Chattanooga's citizens. Warren Mackey says, "A community I think needs to protect its vital resources and I think in this case water is a vital resource that the community cannot live without."

Commissioners say they should either support competition in water companies or have it regulated by the government.

Fred Skillern says, "I don't see how it could be anything but cheaper to have a utility run it with an elected official as the leader appointing the people that are going to run it."

Which Baker says would mean fifty percent cheaper water rates for you. "If you look just in the state of TN at the 6 biggest city, we've got the most expensive water, the rest are municipely owned."

The hearing continues at the Hamilton County courthouse throughout the week, then next week the debate will be held in Nashville.