On Wednesday, Central Alabama Water approved an operations and maintenance budget and a capital budget. The budgets do not include a rate increase for customers and are expected to decrease in the early part of next year.

The b ylaws adopted by the new board, based on the legislation creating the regional board, require the board to adopt an operating budget by December 15 of each year, or the utility will operate on the preceding year’s budget until a new budget is adopted.

Carol Phillips of Warren Averett, an accounting firm, presented data showing that Birmingham Water Works has consistently spent more than its budget. She started her presentation by highlighting two important sections of the new legislation (emphasis hers).

"A regional board shall assure that the rates for water a

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