I was driving through Coal Country a couple weeks ago and bought a local paper in Boone Cty, WV. Because Coal Mining often causes groundwater problems, the solution has been to get treated city water out to those people who do not have clean groundwater. This story is shocking to me, mostly because this is the USA, where everyone should have access to clean water.

“Prenter Residents Still Waiting on Water”

Water station placed at nearby church for people to get potable supply

While the residents of W. Va. 5, also known as the Prenter Road area of Boone County await efforts to bring water to their area, a group of community activists are hard at work trying to give them a little relief.

Representatives from the Public Service District, county commission and the Regional Intergovernmental Council have been searching for money to bring clean, safe water to the residents of Laurel Creek, Hopkins Fork and Sand Lick.

For many years, the residents have complained of health problems associated with the lack of safe water, and have attempted to tie these complaints to allegations that a rise in birth defects, cancer and many other health problems can be blamed on it.

Last spring, officials began to search for pulic funds to start the water project in earnest, and according to them progress is slow but steady.

Contractors have submitted bids to begin the project and all that is needed is to secure sufficient funding for the first water line to be connected.

In the meantime, many of the area families have one problem. West Virginia American Water Co. has set up a water station at the Amazing Grace Fellowship Church where residents can go to fill all their containers for a minimal sum.

For many people, this is not a problem. They just collect their jugs, containers and drive over to the church to fill up.

However, some residents cannot manage it. “We have a large number of folks aroung here who are disabled or just don’t have a car,” said Maria Lambert, who has been vocal in helping to secure water to the area.

“For a lot of people I know, they would have to pay someone to go get their water for them, and that almost makes it out of reach.

“We knew we had to do something to help them and anyone else who needed it,” she said.

At some point, it was suggested that they secure large containers for each of the homes, and that’s what a group of activists in the area decided to do. Lambert and others established the Prenter Water Fund earlier this summer and began to work on the problem.

It was decided that they could secure a 55-gallon water barrel, de-icer and a hand-pump for $75 per family. “We would hire a worker with a tanker trailer to go around to each of the homes with a barrel and fill it up each week,” she said.

Recently, the group secured 150 barrels along with a similar number of hand pumps. “All the people need to do is go out and fill up their jugs from the barrel. We will take care of filling the barrels ourselves,” Lambert added. She stated that while some homes will just need one barrel others might need more than one.

“We know that a barrel of water on your back porch isn’t the same as being able to turn on the tap and get clean water.” Lamber said. “But we hope these barrels will make life a little easier for people who can’t buy water from the store or have trouble going to the church with a bunch of jugs to fill up. Hopefully, sooner, rather than later, the water project will begin and this will be unnecessary.”

The Prenter Water Fund is accepting donations from anyone who would like to help. YOu can contact them throuhg their Internet site, located at www.prenterwaterfund.org/donate or donations can be sent to this address: Prenter Water FUnd, P.O. Box 651, Whitesville, WV 25209.

http://www.coalvalleynews.com/articles/2008/11/21/news/doc4926c496208d8889136399.txtby Lawrence Keeney, Staff Writer

Coal Valley News, Boone County’s Hometown Newspaper since 1925

Weds. 11.19.2008

p. A1 & A6