The Village of Coal Grove fixed a proverbial “leak” that was a big financial “drain” on its water department.

As part of a streamlining and clarification of its laws regarding water service, the council voted to reinstate a $25 re-connection fee.

The village was having a problem with a few residents who habitually wouldn’t pay their bill until their water service was turned off.

This becomes a huge issue because it requires employee hours to disconnect the service and then more time by village workers a few days later to re-connect the service.

Essentially, these few individuals were asking the rest of the village’s water consumers to subsidize this additional expense because it drives up the entire operating costs for the village.

Residents and taxpayers should commend their councilmen and women for making these and other changes that should alleviate some of the burden being placed on good-paying customers.

Should Coal Grove residents expect to see water rates go down anytime soon? Probably not, but they also shouldn’t have to worry about the rates going up right away either.

In the current economic climate with local governments facing shrinking funding, increasing expenses and an unwillingness by taxpayers to pick up a larger share, governments have to look for every avenue to cut costs and operate more efficiently.

It is smart of the village to look at how its individual departments are operating.

The last thing it wants to do is see its revenue just get washed away.