Shelby County commissioners made the right decision Monday in selling a portion of the sewer system.

The commission voted to sell a portion with some 4,000 customers to a private company from Los Angeles.

That $8.5 million, along with another $13 million from the county, will be used to build a necessary wastewater treatment plant on the Coosa River.

Commissioners should be commended for their efforts at protecting those residents in the Greystone and Eagle Point areas.

They worked diligently to include a cap on rate increases for those customers for 11 years.

This 8 percent cap will only allow the private company to raise rates to that amount each year.

It was, most definitely, a hard decision, as residents were concerned they would be hurt by the move.

But commissioners had to make a decision that would work to the good of all Shelby County residents.

This sale of a portion of the system in the north part of the county does just that.

The expansion that will soon be possible with the new wastewater treatment plant was essential to the future of Shelby County.

This county’s leaders face tough decisions because of the unprecedented growth in the area.

The sale of a portion of the sewer system is one decision these commissioners can look back on with pride