Discussions during the Pearl River County Board of Supervisors meeting on Monday brought to light an alleged communication issue with local water associations, particularly those that serve rural areas. 

The Board reported that some customers of rural water associations have complained about being overcharged for their water use due to leaks that went unnoticed.

In part, Board members said these issues occurred because water meters are not being read accurately on a monthly basis. Instead, customers are charged a flat rate, no matter their usage.

In a few instances, this situation has led to customers being unaware of problems with water lines, until they are charged thousands of dollars in fees due to a leak, Board members said.

Past efforts to rectify this issue and open a line of communication between the parties have reportedly been  ineffective.

This situation serves as a reminder of the importance of local governments, agencies, services and businesses to work together to ensure Pearl River County is the best place for its residents to live and work.

Several of these county entities have a reputation for keeping communication open and doing their best to keep the public informed, in addition to welcoming criticism and suggestions.

Public and private groups alike can benefit from cooperating with one another.

It is far easier to accomplish the great task of bettering our county together than it is to try to do so independently. 

We commend those in Pearl River County who are doing their part to work with other agencies and are willing to make sacrifices for one another.

We hope that others will follow in their footsteps and the county can make improvements for its constituents.