Porter town treasurer Joy Hendrix said the town has no intention of cutting off the water supply to Tullahassee and is willing to work with the town.

“There is no way we will turn their water off,” Hendrix said Friday.

Tullahassee officials had earlier expressed concern about their water after receiving a bill that had a cut-off notice on it.

Hendrix said Tullahassee mayor Emma Mae Walters had earlier paid $2,100 on the bill and asked if she would be able to come back at the end of the month to pay the remaining $800.

“She asked what the penalty was for delinquent payment, and we told her we would not turn the water off,” Hendrix said. “I told her we are willing to work with them on the situation.”

Walters declined to comment Friday.

Walters had earlier said the city faces a large water bill because of water lost from leaking lines.

Hendrix said Porter recently raised its water rates and that the latest bill reflected the rate increase. Tullahassee, located east of Porter, has a little more than 60 meters and purchases water from Porter to resell to its residents.

“The bill is usually $2,200 to $2,300 and the bill went up $500 a month with the increase,” she said. “We don’t bill them (the customers) directly.”

She said rates went up two $3.15 per thousand-gallons of water.

Hendrix said she has not had any problems with Tullahassee.

“They have paid faithfully every single month,” she said. “Usually, the mayor is here by the 10th of the month.”

Reach Cathy Spaulding at 918-684-2928 or Click Here to Send Email