RALEIGH COUNTY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – Crews are working diligently to locate a significant water leak in the Raleigh County Public Service District (PSD) system, which has caused widespread outages across multiple communities since Friday.
The leak has resulted in the loss of an estimated 400,000 gallons of water, and officials are urging residents to report any signs of leaks to expedite the restoration process.
The issue was first identified late Friday when water levels in the Fitzpatrick storage tank, which supplies the entire Raleigh County PSD system, began to drop.
Over the weekend, crews used leak detection equipment and conducted visual inspections, walking the main water line along Route 3 from Liberty to Glen Daniel.
Efforts intensified Monday with crews checking meter lids in the Fairdale and Bolt areas.
A small leak was discovered at the Glen Daniel intersection, but officials believe this is not the primary cause of the significant water loss.
As of Tuesday morning, the “big” leak remains unidentified.
Communities impacted by the water outage include Bolt, Fairdale, Glen Daniel, Maple Meadow, and possibly Lester, as well as areas below Route 3 past Liberty High School.
To support the affected areas, Beckley Water has increased water flow to the Fitzpatrick tank, which has helped restore service to some locations.
However, officials have not provided a timeline for full restoration.
“The Raleigh County Commission has requested the help of WV American Water in searching for the leak in the Raleigh County PSD system,” Hall said. “Beckley Water has also offered their assistance. Help should be on the ground later today.”
Emergency measures are being implemented to assist residents without water.
Raleigh County 911 has arranged for a pallet of bottled water to be delivered to the Trap Hill Fire Department, with additional supplies to follow as needed.
The Raleigh County Commission has also pledged its full support in addressing the issue.
Residents are encouraged to contact the Raleigh County PSD immediately if they notice any signs of a water leak.
Further updates will be provided as the situation develops.