Lawyer demands answers on alleged plan to move Birmingham water utility

Allegations of a secretive plan to relocate the Central Alabama Water headquarters out of Birmingham have sparked a firestorm of criticism and legal action. Critics are demanding transparency regarding the rumored move to Shelby County, which would mark yet another departure from the utility's roots in the city.

Legal Pressure Mounts

While Central Alabama Water leadership remains silent regarding reported action afoot to relocate from its Birmingham corporate headquarters on First Avenue campus, attorney John Somerville is pushing for answers. Representing Jim Hicks, Tereshia Huffman, and Johnathan Harris in a lawsuit seeking an independent receiver, Somerville has issued a formal demand for information.

In his letter, Somerville warned that if these reports are accurate, the utility is failing to meet public notice and transparency mandates required by law, including the Alabama Open Meetings Act and Ala. Code § 11-50-300.07 (1975). He has set a deadline of June 22 for the board to confirm or deny the relocation plans.

A Pattern of Distance

Since its reconfiguration in May 2025, the utility—formerly known as the Birmingham Water Works Board—has actively pivoted away from its Birmingham identity. With a new board structure established by the state’s Republican legislative majority, the agency has scrubbed references to the city from its name, signage, and branding.

The potential move carries significant financial weight for Birmingham, which stands to lose the 1-cent occupational tax collected from water board employees. Jefferson County Commissioner Sheila Tyson, a board member representing Birmingham, has been vocal about the implications. “Knowing that the most complaints come out of Jefferson County and the most money comes out of Jefferson County, but you’re going to move it to a place where we can’t get to you?” Tyson said. “It doesn’t even take a rocket scientist to know those numbers don’t add up.”

The Road Ahead

Despite 92 percent of the utility’s customers residing in Jefferson County—including 44 percent within Birmingham—there has been zero public discourse regarding a headquarters transition. Tyson noted that her own inquiries to CEO Jeffrey Thompson have gone unanswered, and requests for comment from Mayor Randall Woodfin were also declined.

Somerville has made it clear that if the utility refuses to provide transparency, he plans to expand his litigation to include these new allegations. The legal team is seeking injunctive relief to halt any potential move until the current court action is resolved, labeling the alleged secrecy as further evidence of financial mismanagement and malfeasance.