Central Alabama Water Averts Rate Hike, Cuts Budget

0:00In Birmingham today, March 20th, central Alabama water has approved its 2026 budget, sparing customers from a rate hike after making deep cuts across the board, including layoffs for more than 100 employees. The utility reduced budgeted positions from 688 to 463, with 135 workers already let go. This month as part of a reorganization, leaders also trim spending on travel, training, software, and projects like the Lake Purdy Dam, dropping its funding from 22 million dollars to 7.7 million. These moves hit hard for staff, but officials call them essential to keep the organization financially sound amid ongoing pressures. Customers in Jefferson, Shelby, St. Clair, Blount and Walker counties get a break on bills for now. A key problem fueling the cuts is massive water loss, with more than 53% of treated water in 2024 going unbuild, and that ray climbing over time. The budget sets the utility up for stability

1:01through next year, though bigger impacts from the reductions will show up in 2027.