ARTHURDALE — Public Service District 1 has found another water source to help it through the drought.
And bottled water is being made available to West Preston School, one of the district’s larger customers. It has about 1,600 customers total.
In 2017, the district was ordered by the federal government to find a new, temporary water source, so the dam on Ruby Farms that holds back its water source could be rebuilt. That project is more than a year behind schedule.
Now relying on a pond called Impoundment 6, the district has been plagued with problems treating the water for odor, taste and appearance customers find unpalatable. It is, however, safe to use, PSD 1 Board Member Mike Adams said, according to health department tests.
Lack of rain has lowered the water level in Impoundment 6 to a foot. Adams told the Preston County Commission 360,000 gallons of water are needed daily. The district’s intent was to put down three-quarters of a mile of pipe to the Green and Blue Hole ponds to pump water and to buy water from Clinton District, Kingwood and Arthurdale.
But while clearing brush to lay the pipe, Adams said last week, they found a log dam above Impoundment 6 that was blocking water from an upper pond. By removing the log dam, they were able to get more water into Impoundment 6.
“With the water right now, it’s pretty good water,” Adams said.
And since his appearance before the county commission, elected officials have offered assistance, Adams said.
Preston Dels. Buck Jennings and Terri Sypolt arranged for bottled water to be made available at the school through Homeland Security. Six pallets (14,976 10-ounce bottles) of bottled water and two pallets (336 jugs) of gallon jugs were delivered to the school system.
There is no charge for the water, according to the Preston County Office of Emergency Management.
And the State Division of Natural Resources is working on a plan to make the Green Hole/Blue Hole ponds permanently available to the district.
PSD 1 remains under mandatory water conservation.
Gov. Jim Justice declared a state of emergency in all 55 counties because of drought conditions.
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