Over the past two weeks, Central Alabama Water, CAW, Alabama’s largest water utility, has become the subject of intense public scrutiny following the firing of over 130 employees and an announcement that the utility will no longer add fluoride to its drinking water.
The controversial changes come after recent financial filings revealed that the utility is losing 53 percent of its water to leaks or unbilled customers, while the average CAW consumer is paying 354 percent more for their water than they did in 2001–four times the national rate of inflation. The utility says that the mass layoffs will prevent an additional 10 percent rate increase, while its decision to remove fluoride from drinking water will reportedly save the utility $4 million in replacement costs for their aging fluoridation systems.
Meanwhile, former CAW employees and several state and local officials have slammed the utility, arguing that its mass layoffs were unjust and that its removal of added fluoride goes against longstanding public health recommendations.
Among those expressing vocal opposition to the utility’s behavior is Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Dakarai Larriett.
In a recent fundraising message, Larriett’s campaign criticized CAW’s layoffs, arguing that the move represents a greater national issue of unchecked corporate power.
“Since the state of Alabama took over Central Alabama Water, we have reduced transparency and service, along with no accountability,” reads a portion of the message from Larriett’s campaign. “Last week, they fired 135 Alabamians in a single day. I’m proud to stand with Alabama workers and demand justice and will fight for workers every day in the U.S. Senate.”
Larriett further clarified his stance in a written statement provided to APR over the weekend.
“The mass firings at Central Alabama Water (CAW) are indeed significant,” Larriett told APR. “They reflect a broader trend of corporate irresponsibility where companies operate with impunity, often disregarding the well-being of their employees and the communities they serve.”
The senate-hopeful added that he believes racial discrimination may have also played a role in the utility’s firing decisions.
“There are strong and credible allegations that CAW racially discriminated in their firing and layoff decisions, which only adds to the urgency of addressing these issues,” Larriett said. “As someone who has personally faced workplace discrimination and harassment and brought a suit against my former employer, Whirlpool, I understand all too well the challenges workers face in an environment where pro-business activist judges and policies often prioritize corporate interests over individual rights.”
Larriett said that the issues involving CAW demonstrate the need for a “strong (and lawful)” U.S. Department of Justice and a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that “genuinely advocates for workers.”
“Through congressional oversight, we must ensure that these agencies hold companies accountable and protect the rights of employees instead of allowing them to act without consequence,” he told APR.
As for the utility’s removal of fluoride from Alabamians’ drinking water, Larriett called the decision “incongruent with established public health science.”
“The CDC even lists water fluoridation as one of the 20th century’s top public health achievements,” Larriett noted. “Additionally, elevating less qualified workers while firing tenured staff puts all ratepayers at risk, undermining the quality and reliability of essential services. This underscores the importance of having a strong Senate that confirms qualified appointees who prioritize science and advocate for public health—rather than individuals like Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whose views are often at odds with established research.”
“It’s critical that we prioritize the well-being of our residents, and I believe that local officials, including Mayor Randall Woodfin, are right to voice their opposition to this decision,” he added.
Larriett is currently one of four candidates running for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in Alabama. The Democratic primary will take place on May 19, 2026.
