Part 1: How Birmingham Lost Local Control of Its Water System

A Plain-Language Timeline of the Central Alabama Water Takeover

1. Birmingham Originally Controlled Its Own Water System

For decades, the City of Birmingham controlled its water through the Birmingham Water Works Board (BWWB).
The system was built, expanded, and paid for largely by Birmingham residents—many of them Black—through public investment and ratepayer dollars.

The board was locally appointed, locally accountable, and focused primarily on Birmingham and its immediate service area.

2. Regional Growth Changed the Power Dynamics

Over time, the water system expanded far beyond Birmingham, serving multiple surrounding counties and municipalities. While Birmingham remained the largest customer base, political influence did not always align with who paid the most or relied on the system the most.

As suburban and regional interests grew, so did tensions over:

• Governance
• Board appointments
• Contracting
• Oversight
• Long-term control

This set the stage for state-level involvement.

3. The Alabama Legislature Stepped In

Citing concerns over governance, lawsuits, and management disputes at the Birmingham Water Works Board, the Alabama Legislature passed legislation that removed control from the City of Birmingham.

Instead of reforming the existing board while keeping it locally accountable, the state:

• Dissolved Birmingham’s control structure
• Created a new regional authority
• Shifted appointment power away from Birmingham elected officials

This move fundamentally changed who controlled the water system.

4. Central Alabama Water Was Created

The legislation established Central Alabama Water, a new entity governing the same infrastructure—but under a different power structure.

Key changes included:

• A regional board, not controlled by Birmingham
• Appointments made by state and regional officials
• Reduced direct accountability to Birmingham voters
• A governance model prioritizing regional balance over local ownership

While framed as “reform” or “stability,” the outcome was a loss of local control for Birmingham residents.

5. Inclusion and Local Participation Were Impacted

Following the transition, long-standing programs designed to ensure participation by historically underutilized and minority-owned businesses were removed or weakened.

These programs had existed to address decades of exclusion in public contracting. Their elimination had real consequences:

• Fewer opportunities for Black-owned contractors
• Reduced local economic circulation
• Less transparency in procurement and decision-making

For many in Birmingham’s Black community, this confirmed fears that the takeover was not just administrative—but economic.

6. Why Black Communities Felt the Impact First

Birmingham’s Black communities:

• Make up a significant portion of the customer base
• Live closest to aging infrastructure
• Historically depended on public-sector contracting as a pathway to economic mobility

When governance shifted away from Birmingham, the communities most invested in and dependent on the system lost the most influence.

This mirrors patterns seen in other U.S. cities where local control was removed in the name of efficiency or reform—with disproportionate harm to poor communities and communities of color.

7. Why This Matters Now

Central Alabama Water now controls:

• Rate-setting
• Infrastructure investment
• Contracting priorities
• Long-term planning

Yet many Birmingham residents feel disconnected from those decisions.

The concern is not simply who manages the water—but who the system ultimately serves.

Where the Black Contractors Association – Alabama Chapter Comes In

This is why the Black Contractors Association – Alabama Chapter has become an important voice in this moment.

The organization’s mission includes:

• Advocating for fair access to public contracts
• Supporting Black-owned construction and trade businesses
• Promoting equitable economic development
• Ensuring public infrastructure benefits the communities that fund it

When control of a public system shifts away from the community, organizations like the Black Contractors Association serve as a necessary counterbalance—pushing for transparency, inclusion, and accountability.

The Bigger Picture

This story is not unique to Birmingham. Across the country, when water systems are removed from local control, the same questions follow:

Who decides?
Who benefits?
Who is heard—and who is not?

Understanding how Central Alabama Water came to be is essential to understanding why so many Birmingham residents are paying close attention now.

Water is public. Access should be too.

Continue following Urbanham’s ongoing coverage of Central Alabama Water and community impact across Birmingham.

Part 1: How Birmingham Lost Local Control of Its Water System

Part 2: Water, Access, and Accountability: A Birmingham Community Concern

Part 3: What Comes Next? How Community Organizations Can Fight for Access After the Water Takeover

Part 4: So Where Does Birmingham’s Drinking Water Come From?