Residents complain their water is 'undrinkable' and 'unacceptable,' and PSC issues emergency order - West Virginia MetroNews

Residents complain their water is 'undrinkable' and 'unacceptable,' and PSC issues emergency order - WV MetroNews

The Public Service Commission has determined that water service in a Fayette County district is so unreliable that commissioners issued an emergency order for West Virginia-American Water Company to step in.

The PSC’s maintenance and operation order followed hearings late last week about the performance of the Armstrong Public Service District.

“I was shocked at the testimony that was presented to us,” PSC Chairwoman Charlotte Lane said,

Residents pleaded for assistance because of poor and potentially contaminated water provided to 879 water customers along the Kanawha River area, and Public Service Commission staff assessed the system to be inadequate.

“This one scares me,” PSC engineer Jonathan Fowler said.

He added that the system’s treatment plant and infrastructure haven’t gone through significant improvements since Armstrong came into existence in 1955. He said it was the worst system currently operating in the state.

“I don’t think my statement is hyperbole,” he testified at an evidentiary hearing at Montgomery City Hall.

Commissioners on Friday instructed the Armstrong Public Service District to enter into an interim emergency operations and management agreement within 10 days.

The agreement, which spells out terms of how the water company and the public service district can work together to improve the system, must be filed with the commission by July 31.

“Right now we’re working alongside the public service district to the point that those customers are receiving clean, safe, reliable drinking water,” said Megan Hannah, senior manager of external affairs for the water company.

“This is an interim operation and maintenance agreement for us to step into the water treatment plant and their distribution system, see what their needs are, what we can financially help them support, what we can provide in terms of additional manpower, leak survey, going out into their system and finding issues and fixing them.”

The steps should begin to provide higher quality for customers, she said.

“We’re working toward providing them with safe, clean, reliable drinking water,” Hannah said. “We know that’s been a concern of that community for many, many years.”

West Virginia American Water, last Oct. 13, filed a petition for determination that the Armstrong Public Service District is “distressed” or “failing.” The water company contended the public service district had shown a prolonged inability to supply reliable and compliant water to the service area.

In written testimony, the manager for water quality and environmental compliance for West Virginia American Water said the district “has exhibited prolonged difficulties in the operation of its water treatment facilities that have repeatedly jeopardized its provision of treated water to the Company as well as the District’s own customers.”

Jon Jarvis, the water quality manager, said the problems have regularly manifested in the form of boil water advisories.

He testified that the causes included “large main breaks and associated difficulties getting the District’s system back online afterward, treatment plant failures involving pumps and related facilities, drained storage tanks, water treatment chemical overfeeding and chemical shortages/supply issues, and unacceptable delays in repairing issues that have caused water outages.”

Representatives of the Armstrong Public Service District testified about intended improvements, like a $2.5 million proposal for upgrades in the Powellton and Deepwater areas, that were halted by the proposed takeover by the water company.

“This project is absolutely needed for Armstrong to be able to improve its services. There are frequent line breaks that result in outages in the Powellton and Deepwater areas where the project will replace those lines,” testified Thomas Gibson, a retired coal miner who serves as chairman of the Armstrong Public Service District.

“The Powellton tank is in poor condition. We can significantly improve service when the tank is replaced and the lines are repaired, which will eliminate many of the leaks that we experience.”

In the weeks leading up to the public hearing, residents submitted written testimony in support of the water company takeover.

“Multiple times water goes off, insufficient notification of boil water advisories, air in the lines several times weekly,” wrote Mount Carbon resident Trinity Nicholas in a comment submitted to the PSC.

“This has been an on-going issue for the past two years. One time we didn’t have water for a day because a worker didn’t show up so there was no one to put the chemicals in at the plant. This is unacceptable.”

Powellton resident Gina Grounds commented, “We who rely on Armstrong Creek PSD for water have been suffering for years! It’s obvious they are failing. Our water is off all the time without warning and communication. WVAW needs to take it over immediately. We deserve consistent and quality water service.”

During Friday’s public hearing in Fayette County, resident Johnny Pennington told commissioners the level of service is far below expected standards.

“The water is undrinkable,” he said. “You’re scared to drink it.”