Water concerns continue in Wyoming County
WYOMING COUNTY, WV (WVNS)– West Virginians are no strangers to water issues – this includes Wyoming County where residents continue to deal with water issues.
The Indian Creek water has a strong, unpleasant smell and causes issues for those who drink it. Adam Vance is a resident of Wyoming County and a delegate of the 35th District. He tells 59News something needs to be done about the situation.
Vance said the southern part of West Virginia gets put on the back burner while the focus for betterment primarily remains on the northern part of the state.
Wyoming County man sentenced to prison for multiple felonies
The people of southern West Virginia built this state and helped win wars with coal. They put the labor of their backs [into it]; built exactly what this state stands for. We’ve been put in the dark and left behind. Look at McDowell County. It was once a great thing. It was ‘little New York’ in Welch and then they turn around and just leave it behind. Once the coal companies come, they don’t care about it.”
Adam Vance, Delegate of the 35th District
Many tourists visit the Mountain State to ride along the ATV trails. Vance said he worries the water situation in Wyoming County will take a toll on the amount of people visiting the state.
One Wyoming County resident has tracked the situation for a while now. Richard Altizer told 59News he personally got the water tested by biologists.
I had a professional do it and we do pay for it. We did some fundraising to do some testing and that’s when we knew when me and Mr. Christian got the results back from the industrial cleaner. That’s when we knew we needed to start hauling water to people. We then knew it was poison. We didn’t need the DEP’s word for it because they kept saying it was natural.”
Richard Altizer, Wyoming County resident
Altizer said people living near Indian Creek have gotten sick, suffering with symptoms of nausea, headaches, and more – all the symptoms you would get by drinking industrial cleaner. After getting the water tested, they found out there were high levels of arsenic in the water.
I don’t know how anyone can justify that’s okay to go down the streams. For them to say don’t have any evidence for it to get into people’s wells. I had it independently tested. It is in people’s wells.”
Richard Altizer, Wyoming County resident
Vance and Altizer both agree the residents in Wyoming County deserve better than this. All they want is clean, safe drinking water for those living in southern West Virginia.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WVNS.
