The city of Chattanooga and the Hamilton County Water and Wastewater Treatment Authority (WWTA) are jointly looking into finding an outside firm to handle billing for sewer charges.
An announcement by Tennessee American Water Company that it was exiting that service has sent a number of local governments scrambling to find a solution to the knotty problem.
A mandatory pre-bid conference was held Thursday for companies interested in taking on the third-party billing.
Some other local municipalities are also joining in the joint effort, including Rossville, Ga.
Cleveland Grimes, WWTA executive director, said the system was set up so that other cities can sign on to the selected third-party provider.
East Ridge and Red Bank are dropping their sewer charge and raising the property tax rate.
Soddy Daisy did away with the sewer fee a number of years ago.