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Mingo County PSD falters after Lenore water main rupture
BY ANNIE HOLLER MOUNTAIN CITIZEN LENORE, W.Va. — Flooding, a ruptured water main and limited treatment capacity combined to disrupt water service across much of Mingo County this week, placing most customers under a boil water advisory and forcing emergency rerouting efforts to maintain supply. The trouble began around midnight Feb. 20 when rapidly rising
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Kermit water tank replacement funded in $9.5 million AMLER grant announcement
CITIZEN STAFF REPORT West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey announced $9.5 million Friday in Abandoned Mine Land Economic Revitalization (AMLER) grant funding for five water and sewer infrastructure projects in Mingo and McDowell counties, including $1.26 million to replace the Town of Kermit’s failing water storage tank. Kermit’s 110,000-gallon tank developed multiple perforations and was flagged
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Protective order lifted for Wayne water supply after mineral oil release
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN WAYNE, W.Va. — Town officials lifted the protective order on Wayne’s drinking water supply Friday following three weeks of disruption tied to a mineral oil release at an Appalachian Power facility. Wayne Mayor Danny Grace officially ended the order at approximately 2:30 p.m. Feb. 7, according to the West Virginia
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Brown water, corrosive truth: Engineers trace July 2025 crisis to mineral imbalance in river
BY LISA STAYTON MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — For weeks in July 2025, brown water ran from taps across Martin County, leaving residents upset, frightened and distrustful of a system meant to sustain life. Faucets ran rust-colored. Laundry was ruined. Families questioned whether their water was safe even to bathe in. What they did not have
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Martin County Judge/Executive presses state officials on $40 million water bid
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN FRANKFORT — Martin County Judge/Executive Lon Lafferty and other local officials met Tuesday in Frankfort with state leaders to discuss the county’s grant applications for nearly $40 million from the Kentucky Water and Wastewater Assistance for Troubled or Economically Restrained Systems (WWATERS) program. The General Assembly created the program in
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Martin County issues boil water advisory
CITIZEN STAFF REPORT INEZ — Martin County Water District issued a boil water advisory Monday evening for customers along a section of Blacklog Road and surrounding areas after a break in an 8-inch main line. The advisory applies to customers from 1620 Blacklog Road at Jude’s Produce to 3256 Blacklog Road near the 40 East
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Martin County wins $4.8 million for sewer upgrade, awaits news of WWATERS grants
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — As Martin County waits on news of state funding to address its drinking water system, federal lawmakers have approved $4.8 million to modernize a long-troubled wastewater treatment plant in Inez. The funding, announced Thursday by U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, is part of a broad federal appropriations package. Martin
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Martin County Water District asks PSC to end oversight
Opponents warn system remains fragile BY LISA STAYTON MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — Martin County Water District is asking the Kentucky Public Service Commission (PSC) to close a long-running oversight case and lift monitoring requirements imposed more than six years ago, arguing that the utility has made significant financial and operational progress under outside management. The
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Martin County Water declines rate hike despite revenue gap
BY LISA STAYTON MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — On paper, the numbers point to a sharp water rate hike. In practice, Martin County water officials say they are charting a different course. The Martin County Water District filed its 2026 Revenue Requirement Report with the Kentucky Public Service Commission on Monday. The filing shows the district
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Groundbreaking Thursday for Inez Wastewater Treatment Plant upgrades
CITIZEN STAFF REPORT INEZ — The Martin County Fiscal Court announced Tuesday it will host a community groundbreaking ceremony to mark the start of long-awaited improvements to the Inez Wastewater Treatment Plant. Martin County received $685,000 in Kentucky Cleaner Water Program funds recently, allowing the county to begin upgrades to the wastewater system. Judge/Executive Lon
