DESOTO COUNTY, Miss. — DeSoto County residents will be facing an increase in their monthly water bills if the City of Memphis stops treating wastewater from portions of the county.
A court battle between the City of Memphis and the Horn Lake Creek Basin Interceptor Sewer District is looming as Memphis’ contract is set to expire in 2023. A source within DeSoto County government told WREG it could cost millions of dollars if the contract isn’t re-negotiated.
That would mean the county would have to build a new wastewater treatment facility or have to lay a pipeline to the Johnson Creek Wastewater Treatment Facility south of Walls, Mississippi.
The facility, operated by the DeSoto County Regional Utility Authority, treats a million gallons of wastewater per day. It would have to be upgraded to treat wastewater no longer being treated by Memphis.
Jerry Reed lives in Southaven and doesn’t want to see any kind of increase in his monthly water bill.
“Well, just how high is it going to go? I mean, right now it’s a load. I’m 90 years old and on fixed income, so I’m kind of nervous,” Reed said.
No one would comment on the record about what could happen three years down the road and referred WREG to the interceptor sewer district’s attorney.
The end result could impact the wallets of residents like Reed.
“Well, I’m worried about it going up and wondering what we’re going to do about our wastewater,” Reed said.
