MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) – The fight over Big Creek Lake is escalating, with the Mobile Area Water and Sewer System (MAWSS) taking new legal action to protect what it calls the city’s most critical water supply. The utility serves 350,000 residents in Mobile and Baldwin Counties.
The controversy began in February when MAWSS shut down public access to Big Creek Lake, citing the need to safeguard Mobile’s drinking water supply. The utility argues that keeping the reservoir and surrounding property private is essential to protect water quality and prevent the spread of invasive species.
But local citizens, fishermen, and advocacy groups disagree. They argue the lake should remain open to the public and have been pressing for access for months. Attorneys Thomas Benton and Jim Dailey are now representing fishermen in a legal challenge against MAWSS…