Triadelphia councilor asks Wheeling to assist with water bill overages
Councilor Hoffman of Triadelphia implored Wheeling to assist in covering water costs associated with the June 14 floods, but the state PSC may stand in the way.
WHEELING – A councilor from Triadelphia appeared before the Wheeling City Council Tuesday, July 1 asking the city’s elected body and administration to consider helping cover the town’s water bill overages incurred as a result of last month’s severe flash flooding.
Wheeling provides Triadelphia – and other Ohio County municipalities – with its drinking water supply. Triadelphia manages payments from its citizens and ultimately pays Wheeling for the service.
Triadelphia was severely impacted by the June 14 flash floods. Of the nine people confirmed dead as a result of the floods, seven were Triadelphia residents. Among the massive property damage, the town’s water system experienced significant damage leading it to depressurize and cause leaks throughout the town.
Water usage increased significantly after the system was repaired as residents and town officials used the water to clear properties and drainage systems of mud and debris.
“It wasn’t a flood. A flood’s a couple feet of water. What we had was a natural disaster,” said Tom Hoffman, a town councilor representing Triadelphia, to members of Wheeling’s City Council. “It was a devastating, life-changing event that I hope we never see again.”
While the full breadth of the devastation is still being evaluated, Hoffman says town officials estimate between 15-20% of Triadelphia’s population will be unable to return as their homes are a total loss. This flight of citizens is likely to lead to lower tax collections further impacting the town’s ability to pay its water debt after the storm.
Hoffman also said water bills will strain his town’s already tired population.
“One resident who doesn’t have a home anymore, their water bill will be $1800,” Hoffman said. “[The residents] don’t have a home to go to and [Triadelphia is] not financially able to foot the bill for that. We’re at your mercy to help us with this water bill.”
City Manager Robert Herron responded to Hoffman, offering the councilor a meeting to discuss ways to move forward. Herron also noted that a previous attempt by Wheeling to forgive Triadelphia’s water debt was halted by the state’s Public Service Commission, the regulatory agency tasked with overseeing utilities in West Virginia.
“There have been previous cases where I’ve been involved where we made adjustments [to water bills], there have been issues where the Public Service Commission has stepped in and one of those involved Triadelphia,” Herron said.
Hoffman acknowledged Wheeling’s prior attempts to help Triadelphia, saying, “You took care of the bill sort of to speak [sic] and then later on the Public Service [Commission] decided that [Wheeling] couldn’t do that and [Wheeling] had to re-bill [Triadelphia].” Despite that, Hoffman asked that the municipalities jointly appeal “to [the Public Service Commission’s] good heart” and ask that Wheeling be allowed to assist Triadelphia in covering its water bill obligation.
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