CHARLESTON, WV (WOAY) – The Public Service Commission has opened a General Investigation into the quality of water service provided by Paige-Kincaid Public Service District.
“Over the past year, the Commission has received many formal complaints and a petition signed by approximately 400 residents complaining about poor water service and the high rates of Page-Kincaid PSD. Many of those residents specifically requested the water system be taken over by a responsible utility,” said PSC Chairman Charlotte R. Lane. “The Commission had been promised that these problems were being resolved. However, now that the entire water system is under a boil water advisory for an unspecified duration, it is clearly a situation that requires the Commission’s immediate action.”
In 2019, Page-Kincaid PSD applied for a certificate to rehabilitate its water treatment plant in Fayette County at an estimated cost of $3.35 million (Case No.19-0609-PWD-CN). West Virginia American Water (WVAW) intervened in that case and was interested in an alternate arrangement, specifically, either developing a wholesale purchased water agreement with or the acquisition of Page-Kincaid. The Commission granted Page-Kincaid’s request to withdraw the certificate application based on the parties agreeing to discussions of alternatives to the Page-Kincaid certificate project. At that time the Commission stressed the necessity of achieving a solution. Later, Page-Kincaid took the position that it would only consider a proposal from WVAW to buy both the water and sewer systems. Discussions subsequently broke down between the parties after Paige-Kincaid refused to provide information requested by WVAW regarding the sewer system.
WVAW has been named a respondent in the General Investigation. A Status Conference will be held at 9:30 a.m., Thursday, July 16, 2020, at the Public Service Commission Main Hearing Room in Charleston. Page-Kincaid PSD serves approximately 639 water customers in Fayette County.
More information may be obtained from the Public Service Commission website: www.psc.state.wv.us by referencing Case No. 20-0397-PWD-GI.
