KINGWOOD — The Denver Water Association (DWA) is asking the Preston County Commission for help obtaining a building to house equipment and an office.
Anthony Powell, president of the association, said it serves about 150 households. DWA is working with Region VI Planning and Development Council to apply for grants to upgrade water lines and improve fire suppression.
“What we’re dealing with is lines that have been in the ground since the 1970s,” Powell said. “Currently, they are too small for fire suppression.”
That’s of particular concern because of South Preston School, Powell said.
“I just worry about the school because the school has that tank that’s used for fire suppression, but I look at that tank, and I think that’s 30 minutes, that’s all you’re going to get out of that. And with the sprinklers on and everything, draining our tank, we’re looking at another 20 to 30 minutes or so. If a serious fire breaks out, you’re going to need way more than that.”
DWA does not have office space and only one decrepit building to hold materials and records, Powell said. The building has broken windows, is home to mice and snakes, unstable and too small for supplies. “It basically needs torn down,” Powell said.
The board meets in the Tunnelton Ambulance building, and Association/Secretary Marlene Menear takes payments at her home. Menear’s land line functions as the association’s number.
People angry with the association call the number late at night, Powell noted.
He and Menear asked commissioners for money to buy a metal building. Past grant applications to buy a building were rejected, Powell said.
“We’re in desperate need of help,” he told Commissioners Dave Price, Don Smith and Samantha Stone.
DWA has already worked out a five-year lease for land along W.Va. 26 across from Senior Drive, Powell said. The 12-foot-by-24-foot metal building would cost about $5,994.30. The location has a gravel parking lot, access to all utilities and is handicapped accessible.
The location is becoming known as a spot where drug deals take place, so putting the building there, “would help not only the community of Denver (but) also would help with the problem there with the local drug house.” The building can be moved.
Powell said the building couldn’t be financed without DWA officers taking personal liability, and renting to own would double the cost. Stone asked if DWA priced insurance, and Powell said the current building is insured and the association has liability insurance.
Commissioners promised an answer later.
“It’s my thought that we need to dig around and look and see how we can do this,” Price said. “But it’s a very reasonable request.”
He asked if any businesses in the area have space to rent to DWA? Powell said they do not believe so, and they have been working on the problem for two years.
The association buys water from Tunnelton, which buys its water from Rowlesburg. Powell said DWA approached Tunnelton about buying it out but was rejected.
The grant application will include a new tank and pump house that would be near Public Service District 2’s lines. So that’s something to consider, Powell said.
New customers will also be sought with the new lines, he said. The association does not want to raise rates.
“So much of our community is on a fixed income,” Powell said. “And raising your rates $10 on a fixed income … it is really hard on them.”
As an association, DWA falls under different regulations than a public service district (PSD), and Menear said it was mentioned to them it might be advantageous to become a PSD. Smith suggested they talk with the State Public Service Commission about the regulations on that.
Price said one of the trends with the state is to go to fewer PSDs, rather than more.
