(Asheville Citizen-Times) A state legislative committee recommended Thursday the city be stripped of control of the region’s largest water system, which serves 125,000 people in Buncombe and Henderson counties. The recommendation, approved unanimously by the Metropolitan Sewerage/Water System Committee, was expected but disputed by city officials who said they have been good stewards of the waterworks, investing $40 million since 2005 and helping to attract two breweries in large part because of the region’s water quality. They also called on residents to voice their concerns at a City Council meeting Tuesday. Unlike prior committee meetings that included public comment or lengthy sessions on the system’s history, Thursday’s meeting was very brief. Public comment was not taken but had been accepted electronically since the April 13 release of the draft recommendation. Moffitt said taking the system from the city would ensure that water customers outside Asheville would never be charged higher rates than city residents.
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