Bill for seizure of Asheville’s water system drastically revised, now calls for study

A controversial bill proposed by state Rep. Tim Moffitt that would originally have seized Asheville’s water system and transferred it to the Metropolitan Sewerage District has been drastically revised. The current version of the bill calls for studying the efficiency of moving the water systems of large cities to a MSD.

“The Legislative Research Commission shall study whether requiring large cities that have a municipal water system and that are located entirely within a Metropolitan Sewerage District to convey that water system to the district will improve the efficiency of providing public services,” the bill now reads.

The bill aroused some local opposition in part because members of Asheville City Council said Moffitt had not consulted them or MSD before proposing the legislation. Moffitt, meanwhile, claimed the bill was intended to “drive the discussion.”

Upon word that the bill would come before the house’s Government Commission, Council member Gordon Smith and Buncombe Democratic Party Chair Emmet Carney tried to rally opposition against Moffitt’s proposal, and Smith released draft language of a resolution declaring Council’s unanimous opposition. By the time it left the committee, however, referred the house’s rules committee, the proposal became a study bill.

In an e-mail to Council members informing them of the change, City Attorney Bob Oast noted that “This does not mean that the issue is settled, or that we requested this study, or that we agree with a particular recommendation. I think those points should be conveyed to the legislators.”

– David Forbes, senior news reporter

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

4 thoughts on “Bill for seizure of Asheville’s water system drastically revised, now calls for study

  1. Bjorn

    I wonder just what Mr. Moffitt would’ve gained if this undemocratic bill passed under everyone’s radar? One does not garner favor among voters by handing over a natural resource to a private corporation & expect reelection, oh wait, that’s what the redistricting was for!

  2. “Bill for seizure of Asheville’s water system…”

    This is what you get when journalists use Gordon Smith’s weblog as a news source.
    ……………………………

Leave a Reply to sharpleycladd ×

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.