Reports - Mississippi Renewal

THE GOVERNOR’S COMMISSION REPORT | 41several months before they will see anysales tax revenues.Adding to the problem, other sourcesof revenue such as water fees and ad valoremtaxes have also been significantlyaffected. Most cities lost a significantportion of their ad valorem tax base andwater customers due to the total devastationalong Highway 90 and south ofthe CSX railroad corridor.Additionally, alternative water sourcesare needed. Katrina’s storm surge causedcontamination of wells and other watersupplies. Alternate water collectionsystems or a reservoir to protect againstwater shortages should be considered toprotect against future disasters. A reservoirnot only would supply additionalresources, but also could provide a recreationalresource and, potentially, floodcontrol.A regional authority operating acrossthe six counties may provide significantopportunities and cost reductions. Atask force composed of the Departmentof Environmental Quality, the Missis-sippi Department of Health, and thePublic Services Commission examinedthe concept and concluded that such anentity would be effective in meeting allthe needs outlined above. (More detailson task force considerations may befound in the full subcommittee reportat www.governorscommission.com).Consistent with the recommendationsof the task force and other planningagencies, the Commission recom-mends that the state legislature create aregional utility authority for the pur-pose of managing sewer, water, stormwater, and other utility services acrossthe six southern counties.This authority should be authorizedto construct new facilities and acquireexisting facilities from counties, mu-nicipalities, rural water associations, andindependent providers. These providerswould maintain billing and connec-tion responsibilities for their serviceareas. The regional authority would beresponsible for transport of water andsewage and for sewage treatment.A study should be commissioned im-mediately, with input from all affectedcounties and cities, to determine thebest structure of a regional utility au-thority and an implementation plan.The plan should be completed in threemonths. The Commission recommendsthat the regional authority be createdby the Mississippi Legislature utilizinglegislation modeled after successful re-gionalized utilities such as the DeSotoCounty Regional Utility Authority, theMississippi Gulf Coast Regional Waste-water Authority, the HCWWMD, andentities currently providing such servicesin other states. The proposed legislationshould provide the regional au-thority with a broad range of oversightauthority over water, sewer, storm wa-ter, and other critical utilities. (Sampleenabling legislation may be viewed inthe full subcommittee report at www.governorscommission.com).The regional authority should be au-thorized to do the following:■ construct new and centrally locatedfacilities and build new systems inunincorporated areas that have noservice-area entity established;■ build interceptor lines to existing infrastructure;■ by agreement with municipalities,acquire and rebuild existing plantsand systems in municipalities;■ by agreement with municipalities,take over and administer city systemsin municipalities that choose to berelieved of the burden;■ acquire existing private systems;■ provide a six-county contract for operationand maintenance of all plantsand water wells;■ provide service area functions suchas bill collection and maintenance oflift stations that municipalities, counties,and public utility districts mayvoluntarily choose to transfer to theregional authority;■ partner with the Pat Harrison WaterwayDistrict to commission a studyto evaluate the cost and benefits of areservoir to serve South Mississippi;■ develop a water, sewer, and stormwater plan for the six-county region;and■ coordinate funding from state andfederal resources.The provision of water and sewer ser-vices necessarily involves three phases— connection, transport, and treatment.Under the proposed system, the municipalitiesand independent utility pro-