A general investigation into the operations of Kanawha Falls Public Service District in Fayette County was ordered Tuesday by the Public Service Commission of West Virginia. It also asked the Fayette County Circuit Court to appoint a receiver to run the system.
Commission staff requested an investigation on June 10 into the district’s water and sewer operations to determine if the Fayette County system had been abandoned by its management. It asked if “management is grossly and willfully inefficient and unresponsive to the needs of its customers for adequate water service.”
The order suggested West Virginia-American Water Company (WVAWC) be named the receiver to run the operation and noted that neither the water company nor the Fayette County Commission was opposed to that plan.
The district was determined to be a distressed water utility in 2023 and was ordered to enter into an operation and management agreement with WVAWC, but that agreement was never completed. Since then, the district has refused WVAWC access to its water system and has refused to grant the company the ability to operate the water system.
Staff said in two related cases that the district conceded it “lacked internal funds to repair a pump station where untreated sewage is spilling onto the ground.”
The commission noted the state Department of Environmental Protection has filed a petition in Fayette County Circuit Court, charging the system with water pollution and violation of groundwater laws.
More information on this case can be found on the PSC website by selecting “Case Information” and accessing Case No. 26-0569-PSWD-GI