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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 Water District sues Big Sandy ADD for $1M+ over failed water project
BY LISA STAYTON MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — The Martin County Water District (MCWD) filed a lawsuit Thursday against the Big Sandy Area Development District (BSADD). The water district is seeking more than $1 million in damages over what it describes as years of mismanagement on a long-delayed infrastructure project. The complaint, filed in Martin Circuit
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BROWN WATER: Alliance points to minerals, heat, infrastructure delays
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — Alliance Water Resources says the brown water running from taps across Martin County is the result of mineral buildup inside aging pipes — a condition made worse, they say, by high summer temperatures and low water levels in the county’s reservoir. Despite the technical explanation, key questions remain
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The right thing should be the bare minimum
The residents of Martin County have endured enough—especially when it comes to their water infrastructure. In a county where water infrastructure failures are a painful routine, the latest crisis—the budget deficit caused by the stalled raw water intake project—feels like a betrayal. Nearly four years after the project’s groundbreaking, the water district is staring down
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Everybody deserves access to good water
Simply stated, water is life. We need good potable water to survive, regardless of where we live. Whether it is in a rural country setting or a city, small or large, water is an essential element for our existence. Water is vital for us all and we all deserve it. Martin County citizens have had
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Water woes in Mingo: Inclement weather, muddy river halt supply
BY KYLE LOVERN MOUNTAIN CITIZEN NAUGATUCK, W.Va. — Residents relying on the Mingo Public Service District (PSD) were left without water last week. The utility halted pumping operations, citing adverse weather and a muddy Tug River. In a Dec. 7 social media announcement, the PSD reported an inability to “effectively treat the water” due to
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Martin County seeks $28 million to rescue troubled water and sewer systems
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — Martin County is hoping to secure crucial funding for its ailing water and sewer systems through the Kentucky Water and Wastewater Assistance for Troubled or Economically Restrained Systems program. This initiative, introduced during the 2024 General Assembly, allocates $150 million to support economically challenged water and wastewater systems
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Martin County’s fight for safe drinking water deserves state support
Martin County’s plea for water and sewer funding has never been more urgent, and the county’s pursuit of state assistance through the Kentucky Water and Wastewater Assistance for Troubled or Economically Restrained Systems program is justified. For decades, residents have endured a failing water and sewer system—an issue that not only threatens public health but
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Time for Martin County Water Board to stop kicking the can
The Martin County Water District faces a critical situation with its raw water intake project. Slated for completion by July, this project holds significant implications for the district’s financial stability and its service commitments to the community. According to Tony Sneed, vice president and director of operations at Alliance Water Resources, finishing the project on
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Congressman Rogers secures $5 million for Martin County water improvements
CITIZEN STAFF REPORT WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Harold “Hal” Rogers (KY-05) announced Tuesday that he secured a $5 million Community Project Funding earmark for Martin County water system improvements in the federal Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024. The bipartisan federal funding package was signed into law March 9. The funding is for installing 50,000 linear
