Inspection finds significant deficiencies with public water system

LINCOLN & KANAWHA COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) — The West Virginia Bureau for Public Health has ordered the Lincoln County Public Service District to take corrective action at its water treatment plant after the state found what it described as “significant deficiencies”.

The order comes as customers in Lincoln County and parts of Kanawha County remain under another boil water advisory.

“There’s a boil water advisory, it seems like every other week,” Ken Hall, a customer from Kanawha County said.

Some customers said advisories have become routine, and they’re frustrated by water that looks cloudy, discolored and occasional odors.

“The employees who work at this plant are good people and they try very very hard,” Hall said. “It’s not their fault, it’s the people above them, it’s the antiquated equipment.”

In an order from March of 2026, the Bureau for Public Health said it had identified serious issues at the district’s water treatment plant following an initial on-site visit last year.

Among the problems cited were elevated turbidity, which is a measurement of how cloudy the water is.

The state also raised concerns about the condition and function of the plant’s pre-sedimentation basin.

The order states the district exceeded the state’s filter effluent turbidity limits during November 2025, December 2025, and January 2026.

The Bureau for Public Health order requires several changes, including:

• Within 30 days of receipt of the order: remove sand and debris from the pre-sedimentation basin and make repairs so it functions as designed.
• If turbidity exceeds requirements and becomes too cloudy: issue a system-wide boil water notice within 12 hours.
• Consult with the state within 24 hours of each turbidity exceedance and issue a public notice when required.
• Issue required public notices tied to certain violations and submit copies of those notices to the state.

Customers said the issues show up in daily life — sometimes in their pipes and appliances.

“In 20 years, I’ve put three new hot water tanks in, because so much sand and grit and crap in the bottom of it,” Hall said.

The order and quality concerns come as a proposed sale of the district’s assets to West Virginia American Water is ongoing in a separate, pending case.

The Lincoln County Commission has approved the proposed sale, but Commission President Josh Stowers said there has been pushback from the PSD.

Stowers said he would prefer local control, but not if the district can’t provide reliable service.

“It just got to the point where it was clear that the service that was being provided by the PSD was subpar,” Stowers said.

After the inspections, PSC legal staff is asking the Commission to consider an investigation into Lincoln PSD’s water system.

In the petition, staff alleges the district’s service and practices are inadequate, inefficient and unreasonable, and claims management may be so ineffective that it could warrant an outside manager appointed to run the utility.

The PSC has not opened an investigation yet, but customers are stuck weighing the cost of change.

“Is our water bill going to go up?” Ken Hall said. “Probably, but if you consider how much we’re paying to go buy bottled water every week, I don’t think we’re gonna be paying any more money.”

Stowers said discussions with West Virginia American Water are ongoing and suggested the PSD may be more willing to talk.

“They have been against the sale since the beginning of the discussions; however, it seems to me that they wanted to at least listen or talk to West Virginia American Water about potentially coming to an agreement or coming to an agreement on the sale,” Stowers said.

He said the PSD also has thousands of dollars to repay bonds, vendors and loans. Selling to WVAW would help pay for debts, according to Stowers.

Some of the service area has less problems because the district buys water from WVAW according to Stowers.

As for the current advisory, the Lincoln PSD said it could last up to 10 more days, and local leaders have provided bottled water, and West Virginia American Water brought in a water tanker to residents in need.

Stowers said he does not have a timeline on when a final decision could be made on the sale. Meanwhile, the Public Service Commission will decide whether to grant staff’s request and formally open an investigation.

For previous coverage, click here.