‘I don’t care if the rates increase’: Alum Creek residents voice concerns over water quality

ALUM CREEK, WV (WOWK) — Neighbors in the Alum Creek area in Lincoln County have been dealing with water issues for nearly 17 years and the county Public Service District (PSD) says most of the problems stem from outdated infrastructure.

“We’re applying for other grants and stuff to try and get these lines replaced through Alum Creek, but you’re looking at a very expensive project,” one board member says Thursday afternoon.

During the PSD regular board meeting, several residents were in attendance, once again , looking for solutions to these ongoing problems.

Alum Creek resident Diana Coffman says she’s lived in the area for 5 years and in that time, the water quality has never been up to par.

“I mean, there are odors from the water, it creates a ‘slimey’ bathtub… I’ve put in two hot water tanks because it’s calcified them,” Coffman says following the meeting.

In response to these concerns, board members say as of today, they’ve already spent more than $1 million on a new water tank and it’s already been installed.

However, replacing the 40,000 feet of outdated water lines that are causing a lot of problems, that’s expected to cost around $10 million.

The board says they don’t have that funding right now, but they are applying for grants and trying to avoid a rate increase.

After hearing this, residents say at this point, they’d rather pay more on their bill if it meant better water quality. “I don’t care if you raise my water rates. If we get quality water,” Coffman says during the meeting.

The PSD board did not comment on if they’d be considering a rate increase. Board members continued to say that they’re still applying for grant funding, which could take a while.

The overall infrastructure project, which includes the upgrades to the water lines, could take up to 10 years. This information is not what residents were hoping to hear.

“That’s ten more years of my life that it’s taken away. I think if they would have worked on these issues beforehand… They’ve had these problems for over 17 years,” Coffman says.

Board members say they’re going to have their boots on the ground in the coming weeks and they’re hoping to start on the infrastructure project by the Summer of 2025 if funding is available.

In the meantime, these neighbors still have to deal with these issues. This is a developing story.

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