Ozark Utilities Board

Ozark Utilities Board Municipal Water Report Info
The Utilities Board delivers quality municipal water and sanitary sewer services to Ozark's 15,000 residents. Our organization serves approximately 7,687 water customers and 5,755 sewer customers. With a dedicated team of 21 professionals, we ensure exceptional service while pumping about 2.38 million gallons daily from 8 deep wells and processing an average of 1.46 million gallons of sewage each day at our two treatment facilities.

In 2001, the Board committed to Ozark's future by implementing a comprehensive 30-year Capital Improvements Plan to upgrade water infrastructure and enhance the sanitary sewer system. This initiative is currently ahead of schedule and has invested approximately $17-million as of 2018. Key accomplishments include:

We've expanded sewage availability to 391 additional homes, increasing coverage by 7%. Our transition to radio-read water meters in 2007 allowed natural staff reduction through attrition, saving $1-million over a decade. The $2.2-million Tuscaloosa aquifer well at Post Oak can supply over 50% of our daily usage, allowing Ozark to potentially double in population without requiring additional water resources.

Converting our infrastructure mapping to GIS at a cost of $165,000 enables quick identification of pipelines. We're the only system in Alabama to have cleared all sewer right-of-ways, investing $500,000 to maintain over 100 miles of ROW, allowing proactive monitoring of remote areas to prevent sewer overflows. Annual herbicide application prevents vegetation regrowth.

The Board secured a $5-million bond in 2013 to fund three critical projects. Though operating at only 60% capacity, the 30-year-old Southside WWTP required equipment replacement, a $2.2-million project. We also replaced approximately 13,000 feet of corroded galvanized water mains with 4-inch PVC at a cost of $500,000, enabling the city to resurface streets without fear of recurring damage. The third project was a $2.3-million sewer rehabilitation initiative.

Despite budget growth from $2.1-million to $4.2-million since 2000, careful planning has kept Ozark's water and sewer rates below state averages. Our rate for 5,000 gallons is $41.60 compared to Alabama's average of $59. The Utilities Board has received numerous accolades, including being named Best Operated Water System ten times in 18 years and earning multiple risk management awards.