With the number of producing wells going down, water rates in Alabaster will soon increase by 25 percent.

The rate increase will become effective with the middle of March billing, said Pete Lucas, manager for the Alabaster Water Board.

Lucas confirmed the Water Board closed two wells in the middle of town.

One well was cloudy and another well fed into the same contact base. So, he said, both were shut down.

As a result, Lucas said, the city would purchase water from Shelby County and surrounding cities to replace about 1.5 million gallons per day. He said the average water bill for city residents would increase from $26 to $32.