Madison County residents could see their water bills go up if Huntsville Utilities’ 35% water rate increase is approved by the Huntsville City Council.

County Engineer Chuck Faulkner said the Madison County Water Department would not do “a knee-jerk” rate increase if it is approved.

“But obviously, if the rate we pay for a third of our water goes up 35%, that’s a significant portion of our operational cost,” Faulkner said.

Huntsville Utilities is proposing an across the board increase – for residential, commercial and industrial consumers. But Faulkner said the county has not received any notification that the increase would be included in water it purchases from the city.

Faulkner said the county’s water department purchases or pumps between 25-30% of the water it produces from Huntsville Utilities. The remaining 70-75% is pumped from groundwater sources throughout the county.

“We have not received anything official indicating what, if any rate increase the county water system will absorb from Huntsville Utilities. We don’t know what they’re going to change our rates to,” he said.