Lincoln County residents nearing two months under boil water advisory with little answers

LINCOLN COUNTY, W.Va. (WCHS) — It’s something many West Virginians have been living with for years – unreliable water service, leaving paying customers to rely on bottled water instead of using what comes out of the faucet.

Although some have seen improvements, others continue to see the infrastructure decline. That’s the case for Valerie and Gary Smith. They’ve been paying for water from the Lincoln Public Service District for years and they said they’re constantly on a boil water advisory.

“When we’re not on a boil water advisory, the water has so much chlorine in it, it clogs up the hot water tank,” Valerie said. “The bottom of it’s all crusty and even the spicket in the kitchen, it’s got that white scummy stuff on it.”

The Lincoln PSD issued a boil water advisory on Jan. 26 and it has not been lifted since. The Smiths said they’ve tried getting answers but have gotten nowhere.

“In January I remember they said they were having trouble with their pumps and the water would be low, and when the water came back on, you’d be under a boiled water advisory and that’s the last communication I’ve had with them,” Gary said.

The latest update posted by Lincoln PSD is from March 4 on its Facebook page.

“The workers that go out and fix the leaks, they work really hard,” Valerie said. “I have nothing against them. They really work hard and in the cold weather. It’s really hard on them, but it’s not the workers.”

“It’s the equipment,” Gary added. “It’s the plant size versus the amount of need.”

The Lincoln PSD issued a boil water advisory on Jan. 26 and it has not been lifted since. (WCHS)

Last year, the Lincoln County Commission voted to move forward with the dissolution of the Lincoln PSD, but in September, the district filed a petition to stop the sale to West Virginia American Water. After that, in November, Public Service Commission staff submitted a request asking the applicants to give specific financial information. An evidentiary hearing will be held on April 21.

In the meantime, customers said they’re spending up to $100 each month on bottled water to use in place of their running water – and that’s on top of their water bill.

“You can run the bath water and look down at the bottom of the bath water – if you can see the bottom of the bathwater – it’s sand, river sand,” Gary said.

We have reached out to the Lincoln PSD, but no one from the plant was available to take our call.