GLOVERVILLE --- The Valley Public Service Authority met Monday night to discuss its recent negotiations with Avondale Mills on a possible takeover of the Graniteville water system.

Avondale, which oversees the system, has come under fire from Graniteville and Vaucluse residents as a water and sewer rate increase caused some bills to jump hundreds of dollars.

Calvin Smith, the general manager of the authority, said concerns over the cost of an overhaul have delayed agreement on a takeover. He said that if his authority took over the system it would want to replace the entire infrastructure, which he estimated could cost $9 million.

"We are considering it (a takeover)," Mr. Smith said, but added that six weeks of negotiations with Avondale have produced no agreement.

Although no vote was taken by the authority at Monday night's meeting, the gathering brought out some state legislators who favor a switch away from Avondale.

More than 100 concerned Graniteville residents also came to the meeting to voice their concerns over the recent water and sewer rate increase.

They were told that the meeting was not for public comment, and the authority went into a closed executive session after an attorney for the body said state law allowed it to do so.

State Rep. Roland Smith, R-Warrenville, state Sen. Shane Massey, a Republican whose 25th District includes Aiken, and state Rep. Tom Young, R-Aiken, spoke with residents and listened to their concerns before joining the authority in closed session.

Roland Smith said that they planned to "gently encourage" Valley Public Service to agree to run the Graniteville system.

Mr. Smith said Avondale has wanted to get out of the water-service business. Lately, though, Avondale's water service has become a heated topic. Water bills received by Graniteville and Vaucluse residents Friday reflected a much higher rate.

"This is just crazy," said Treye Sharpe, of Graniteville, who said his monthly bill increased from $72 to $597.

Roland Smith said Monday that he has been getting many calls from residents angry about the "astronomical" increase, adding that a takeover of the system by Valley Public Service "is the best resolution. It's a win-win for the community."

He said the hope is that Valley Public Service's rates wouldn't be as high as Avondale's. In the city of Aiken, water and sewer rates are much lower, with Aiken's monthly average at $34.22, according to Kimberly Abney, the city's director of finance.

Avondale's recent request for higher rates was made to South Carolina's Public Service Commission. At the time Avondale officials said that the rates hadn't changed in years and that they were not able to subsidize the cost of running the system after textile operations in the community were shut down.

Roland Smith said that Avondale officials had led him to believe that no one's bill would be higher than $71 a month. Now that he's seen much higher bills, "I think that's something we definitely need to have a discussion with Avondale about," he said.

After the closed session was over, Tom Young said that although no final decisions had been made, he felt the meeting had been "positive" and "productive."

A message left Monday for Stephen Felker Jr., the vice president of corporate development for Avondale Mills, wasn't immediately returned.