Are rural water systems under attack?

Elijah Bell, president of the Moore Creek-Mt. Carmel water system said a bill proposed by State Sen. Doug Broxson to bring all water systems in Santa Rosa County under one umbrella will not only take local control away from communities, but eventually lead to higher utility rates.

"They are trying to fix something that's not broke," Bell said. "All these systems are financially sound and provide adequate and good water to their customers."

Bell said currently, the rural water system board members are not paid and are elected by the customers. They only people on payroll are those employees who work for the systems.

Bell said if approved by the Florida Legislature, it will affect not only Moore Creek-Mt. Carmel with Berrydale, Chumuckla, Point Baker, Bagdad-Garcon Point, the city of Milton, city of Jay, Pace and East Milton and most will have no representation on the board.

He noted a five-member board would be appointed and paid a salary to oversee all the water systems in Santa Rosa County.

"Frankly, it's just time for us to grow up and be the county that we're going to be in the next 10 years," Sen. Broxson said concerning his attempt to create the North Santa Rosa County Utility Authority.

He added that the creation of the authority was needed to provide dependable, reliable and affordable infrastructure for the future.

"We have three wastewater utilities in the north end: Milton, Pace and Jay," Broxson said during a public hearing. "And we have more than 10 water distribution co-ops. They work independently of each other and there's really no oversight. The county could oversee them,but they choose not to because it's just been a tradition in Santa Rosa."

Bell, along with Robert Smith, a member of the Point Baker Water System board, said none of the rural water systems were notified of the public hearing scheduled by Sen. Broxson.

Bell said he and other board members of rural water systems across the county take on that responsibility because they care about their communities and are not compensated for their efforts. He noted if someone on the Moore Creek-Mt. Carmel system has a problem they can call him, but said he fears people will be dialing a 1-800 number if all the systems are brought under one control.

He also said it's time for residents to speak up and voice their opposition to the proposed takeover.

Smith provided more insight into the issue in a guest column, which is printed on Page 5A inside today's Tri-City Ledger.