The eight remaining plumbers working in the Hamilton County Water and Wastewater Treatment Authority (WWTA) program to fix leaking sewer lines to homes say they are being treated unfairly.
The group went before the County Commission with its complaints on Wednesday.
Kay Keefe said the WWTA is months behind on paying, and she said the group has been operating without a contract since Oct. 31, 2010.
She said at one point the plumbers got a 13-percent raise and a change to requirements involving use of gravel, but she said there are still problems with a new contract that was drafted.
Ms. Keefe said the plumbers did have four weeks to complete a job and that has been cut to 10 working days.
She said the contract plumbers are under requirements to respond to fix emergency sewer problems.
Ms. Keefe said 27 plumbers started out working with WWTA and all but the eight have dropped off.
Gene Shipley said WWTA charges keep going up, and "the usage fee is now so great that it is higher than the water bill."
He estimated that the WWTA has taken in $12.5 million over five years on the $8 per month that customers are required to pay toward fixing the private lateral lines.
Gary Ball, whose Tower Construction Company, has a contract with WWTA for larger lines, had similar complaints.
Commissioner Chester Bankston asked, "Can somebody tell me who the WWTA answers to?"
County Mayor Jim Coppinger said the group answers to a board of directors. He said he makes appointments to the board.
Commissioner Marty Haynes said he hates to see hardship for small businesses, saying they make up a large percentage of county taxpayers.