Birmingham Water Works Board Approves Rate Increase
Birmingham Water Works customers will have slightly higher monthly water bills starting in January 2020. The Birmingham Water Works Board voted 5-1 Tuesday in favor of a 3.9% rate increase. Rick Jackson, spokesman for the Water Works Board, says the increase is necessary to maintain a viable water system and replace 100-year-old water mains.
“We want to make sure we’re providing the best, highest quality water possible to the people within our service area,” he says. “It takes a lot to continue to do what we’re doing and these are some hard decisions that our board is faced with sometimes.”
Jackson says the increase will affect about 200,000 households. The average household can expect to pay two dollars more per month.
The board increased rates by the same amount last year. Jackson says the water rates are comparable to cities of similar size. Water Works officials say upgrades to the system will take several years to complete.
The Vera C. Rubin Observatory’s first images are stunning — and just the start
The Vera C. Rubin Observatory has just released some of its first images. Its powerful new telescope will be able to quickly spot previously unseen astronomical objects.
Police say a man opened fire outside a Michigan church before staff fatally shot him
Police described the suspect as a 31-year-old white male with no known connection to the church. His motive remains unclear.
After a thrilling 7-game series, the Oklahoma City Thunder are finally NBA champions
Led by point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the league's Most Valuable Player, the Thunder outlasted the Indiana Pacers for the team's first title since moving to Oklahoma in 2008.
Federal judge says Abrego Garcia can be released on bail. That doesn’t mean he will be
A federal judge in Tennessee ordered Kilmar Abrego Garcia can be released on bail while he awaits trial on human smuggling charges. But ICE has indicated it may arrest him if he leaves prison.
Satellites show damage to Iran’s nuclear program, but experts say it’s not destroyed
Satellite imagery shows trucks at two key sites the day before the American strikes, suggesting uranium could have been moved.
Trump administration defends Iranian strikes as some lawmakers question its legality
After the U.S. took military action against three nuclear sites in Iran, reaction across the political spectrum was swift with many Democrats decrying the president's "unilateral" strikes.