Water fight continues: Prichard appeals ruling in favor of MAWSS

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - The Prichard Water Board is not giving up the fight to avoid being taken over by the Mobile Area Water and Sewer System.

The lawyer for the Prichard Water Board filed an injunction Wednesday, trying to block Circuit Court Judge Michael Youngpeter’s ruling in favor of MAWSS on Tuesday.

After losing two battles so far, it looks like the utility is not settling for defeat , to the chagrin of some of its customers.

"Stop spending our money, it is over," Severia Morris said.

Unfortunately, for Prichard Water Board customers like Morris, it may not be over. That's because an injunction would put the case on hold, pending an appeal.

The judge’s ruling would do away with the Prichard Water Board, and the customers would become part of MAWSS.

The controversy surrounding water service in Prichard has been going on for years, and now that the Water Board has filed for an injunction of the judge’s ruling it could continue.

Customers in Prichard are left wondering why they pay so much more for water than their neighbors in Mobile.

Brucewood Drive is a dividing border in the county. The residents on one side of the street get their water service from Mobile, but the folks on the other come under the Prichard Water Board's jurisdiction.

"Everything is Mobile, even our trash pickup and stuff on this side is Mobile, Alabama, and I don't get how we got Prichard Water," Mario Rhodes said.

Rhodes said his water bill, without sewer, averages $40-60 a month.

Neighbors on the other side of the street pay much less.

"About $23-25," Larry Green said.

Green sympathizes with his neighbors who are stuck with high water bills.

"It's outrageous, it’s ridiculous. See, because it's a lot of people on set income. They have they money stretched from one month to the next month. It will help them," Green said.

Judge Youngpeter could rule on the motion for injunction, or he could set a hearing to listen to arguments from both sides before making his ruling.