KINGWOOD — A lack of rain is forcing Preston County Public Service District 1 to buy water from neighboring utilities.
It is also exploring the possibility of buying bottled water for students and staff at West Preston School, which is one of the system’s largest customers, PSD 1 Board Member Mike Adams said Monday, addressing the Preston County Commission.
Preston County Emergency Management/911 Director Duane Hamilton said the county has a contact to buy bottled water in emergencies.
Monday afternoon he said the water is available if the PSD wants it. Six pallets (14,976 10-ounce bottles) of bottled water and two pallets (336 jugs) of gallon jugs will cost about $3,000.
In 2017, the federal government ordered PSD 1 to find another water source so water behind the dam for Impoundment 1, on Ruby Farms, could be drained and the 48-year-old earthen dam replaced with a concrete dam. The project is more than a year behind schedule.
Impoundment 1, behind the dam, was the district’s water source. After looking at costs and other factors, it decided to use Impoundment 6, in Arthurdale, as a temporary water source.
Last week, the district ordered mandatory water conservation after lack of rainfall decimated the water level of Impoundment 6. On Monday, Adams said there are only about 12 inches of water in the impoundment.
“We run about 360,000 gallons of water a day,” Adams said.
Over the weekend, the connection to Clinton District Water was opened. Under State Public Service Commission rules, PSD 1 will pay more for the water than it will charge its customers, Adams said. The district can pull 62 gallons per minute, or about 89,000 gallons per day, from Clinton District.
The district is working with Kingwood Water Works and may be able to buy 50 gallons per minute from that utility. Arthurdale Water has a pump house within 500 feet of PSD 1’s main plant and could provide 30-40 gallons per minute, but a $7,000-$8,000 pump change will be required.
“So when you break all those numbers down, we’re still a couple 100,000 gallons short per day,” Adams told commissioners.
PSD 1 also received approval from the state to begin taking water from Blue Hole and Green Hole, ponds in what “is really just an old, abandoned, rock quarry mine that’s about 80 feet deep,” behind West Preston School in Arthurdale.
The district will have to run three-quarters of a mile of pipe to the ponds. Shinnston offered to loan the pipe, but it will also cost about $700 every two days for fuel to power the pump that will take water from those ponds to Impoundment 6.
West Virginia University has offered the use of some equipment to help as well. But PSD 1 is not staffed to install that pipe and keep up with everything else. The dam contractor offered help, but there’s a cost, Adams said.
Commission President Dave Price wondered if the National Guard can be called to help. Commissioner Don Smith, who is retired from the military, said there is a federal reserve unit that lays pipeline, but it would be harder to arrange. He wasn’t sure if the state could help.
“But even if they could do part of it, that would help,” Smith said.
The dam project costs about $7.8 million. The PSD was allotted $120,000 to deal with its water difficulties as part of that. And customers will see an increase of about $16-$18 each on their October bills, if the state approves it.
Delegate Terri Sypolt, R-Preston, was at the meeting at Price’s invitation. Price asked if she and other delegates could help with an “infusion of cash.”
Sypolt said the first place to apply is the governor’s emergency contingency fund but they need to request a specific amount. Adams estimated $300,000.
“We went into this financially stable. This project has run over a year. Looks like it’s going to go over another year,” Adams said.
And, Sypolt said, PSD 1 customers are unhappy with the odor, sight and taste of the water they have been receiving since the switch to Impoundment 6. Commissioner Samantha Stone, a customer of PSD 1, said the condition of the water does make her wonder sometimes if it’s OK.
“The water is still viable water. It’s just not aesthetically pleasing,” Adams said, noting the health department and other agencies test the water frequently.
“It’s potable but not palatable,” Smith said. “That’s the difference. You can drink it. It may not look that good, it may not taste that good, but it’s not going to hurt you.”
Sypolt asked if the district reached out to federal representatives. Adams said the National Resources Conservation Service, which is the federal part of the project, has.
“I just don’t think we’re a priority on their list,” he said.
TWEET @DominionPostWV
