A bill introduced last week by Sen. Linda Coleman-Madison, D- Birmingham, could allow the Jefferson County Commission to monitor some sewer billing practices at the Birmingham Water Works (BWWB), but an agreement already in the works could make that unnecessary.

Jefferson County Commission President Jimmie Stephens said the entire bill could be a “moot point” if the county is able to agree on a five-year sewer billing contract with BWWB in the next few weeks.

He said further details will come after BWWB discusses the agreement in their next board meeting on April 12. After BWWB votes on the agreement decision Stephens said the county commission will discuss the agreement in their next meeting on April 20 and make a final decision.

If the two entities are not able to come to an agreement Coleman-Madison’s bill, SB179, would require BWWB to provide various customer and billing data to the county commission for a return payment of 110% of whatever the cost to provide the data.

SB179 adds that if a water board does not share a bill with sewer services, their county’s commission can obtain customer data through written request and use the data for the same purposes.