GARY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – The Public Service Commission of West Virginia directed the town of Gary to enter into an operations and maintenance (O&M) agreement for McDowell County Public Service District to operate the town’s sewer system.
In its order, the Commission rejected an alternative O&M proposal last July by Gary, saying, “The proposed agreement is inadequate and fails to convey operational and managerial control to McDowell PSD sufficient to address the deficiencies in the city’s sewer system.”
That proposal failed to address rates, meter reading, billing, and payments and collections of fees from customers, the Commission said Monday.
The Commission found the Gary system was a distressed utility in 2024.
The town and district were told to enter into a standard O&M agreement “posthaste” and to file the agreement with the PSC within 20 days. The agreement was attached to the order.
The Commission said the town “has failed to comply” with PSC directives to file proceedings to bring rates up to where they should be. The town was told to do so within 35 days.
McDowell County PSD was told to propose a surcharge within 30 days to offset its costs of operating the town’s sewer system.
Additional information on this case is available on the Public Service Commission’s website at www.psc.state.wv.us by selecting “Case Information” and accessing Case No. 22-1083-S-DU.
