MINGO COUNTY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – The Public Service Commission of West Virginia, citing a “concern for public health,” set a new date of April 14 for completion of a staff investigation into the severely troubled Mingo County Public Service District, moving the date up from July 14.
The Commission ordered its investigation into the system on January 23 and set the original date for completion. On January 28, staff asked for the new date after it was “made aware that multiple customers have been without water service for an extended period of time.”
“The Commission will grant staff’s motion due to the nature of the emergency and concern for public health,” the Commission said. It also revised all the schedules related to case filings.
Staff petitioned the Commission on January 15 for a general investigation into the operations of the 4,289-customer system.
Several hundred customers have suffered loss of water because the system could not adequately treat water taken from the Tug Fork of the Big Sandy River. The system’s sediment tanks were full and could not handle the cleaning process.
While conducting its investigation, staff also was tasked also with recommending whether a receiver should be appointed to take over the system and whether proceedings should be initiated under the Distressed and Failing Utilities Improvement Act of 2020, which might allow the system to be acquired by another utility.
More information on this case can be found on the PSC website: www.psc.state.wv.us. Click on “Case Information” and access Case No. 25-0027-LRR-PWD-GI.
