Jackson Free Press

Mayor Tony Yarber and members of the Jackson City Council expressed "great pause" about a proposal to create a regional wastewater authority.

Keith Turner, an attorney with Watkins & Eager who represents the West Rankin Utility Authority and the Hinds County Board of Supervisors, which is considering establishing a utility district for the Byram-Clinton Parkway, discussed the proposal at today's Jackson city council meeting.

Council members first learned of the proposal from an email sent on New Year's Eve. Turner said the legislation is in development and would not be filed until later on in the session, which lawmakers consider so-called "local and private" bills. Generally speaking, the authority would have sweeping authority over existing water and sewer systems.

The authority would have the power to construct, expand or decommission waste water systems within Hinds County. Turner stressed that the city, which already services most of the metro area, would not be obligated to participate in the authority which could move ahead with building a new wastewater system on its own.

City officials asked about the composition of the authority and whether smaller municipalities would have the same power as Jackson, the state's largest city with a population of more than 170,000 people.

The council also seemed to worry most about what would happen if Jackson did not participate in the proposed authority. If the authority builds a new treatment facility and siphons off current city customers, it could spell financial calamity for Jackson, which is already struggling to find funds to comply with a U.S. EPA Consent decree while addressing other infrastructure needs.

"It is one of the only enterprises we have," Yarber said, referring to the water system which is one of the top revenue-generators for the city's coffers. "We must be concerned we don't give away the store."

The city is currently conducting an audit of its wastewater system to determine whether current revenues are sufficient and could lead to a water-rate increase. In 2013, rates went up under late Mayor Chokwe Lumumba.

Yarber's hesitance stems from the fact that if people were to leave Jackson's system, the city still need to treat the same amount of water at the same cost. Turner said the new system would only be for newer developments outside of the city limits that Jackson, legally, cannot service.

Under the proposal, the authority would also have the authority to float bonds. The council placed the draft legislation in the Budget Committee for further analysis and discussion.