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Water Crisis in Southern WV
Overview
In February 2023, Wyoming County residents began experiencing water quality issues in the Wolf Pen/Indian Creek area, which brought into focus the water crisis that has been occurring across the region for decades and moved people to action. From Below: Rising Together for Coalfield Justice is focusing on McDowell County, specifically on the water-impacted communities that are served by the United Methodist Churches of the Welch Charge: Gary (city water system), Anawalt (public water system), and Leckie (well water).
- Only 161 WV Water Development Authority projects in 2024, only 4, or 2.5%, were in Boone, Logan, McDowell, Mingo, and Wyoming Counties (Charleston Gazette, 1/14/2025).
- Wyoming, Boone, and Mercer have the most public water violations in the nation (The Hill, 4/15/2025).
- 67% of McDowell Co straight-pipes raw sewage into waterways. (Mountain State Spotlight, 6/12/2024).
- 5 southern coalfield counties are classified as being in “persistent poverty.” Economic development in the region is complicated by lack of clean water access (Mountain State Spotlight, 1/16/2024).
Problem
- Straight-piping: Without wastewater infrastructure, many communities dump raw sewage into waterways.
- Water Infrastructure Funding: State funding for infrastructure projects typically go to other areas of the state.
- Irresponsible Industrial Practices: Dumping and abandoned industrial sites impacts waterways.
- Frequent Outages: Residents continue to pay high monthly utility rates despite frequent outages and advisories.
- Water Treatment Issues: Communities report orange-black water with filmy, thick, or bubbly water with an odor.
- Compromised source-water: Mine runoff, gas wells, and mountaintop removal mining compromise source water.
What's next?
After careful, informed conversations with state and federal agencies and organizations, we believe the solution to this problem involves:
- simplify the grant and infrastructure project approval process,
- increase and prioritize funding for public water and wastewater infrastructure projects in southern coalfield counties,
- oversight of allotted federal funds to ensure fairness for coalfield counties,
- organizing locals to ensure those projects are carried out,
- and providing residents with clean water until those projects are completed.
A petition to fund the Anawalt PSD project, designed by impacted residents, was sent to the McDowell County PSD and WV Governor and received no response. We currently have a water trailer operating in McDowell and Wyoming County which provides up to 3,000 gallons of safe drinking water to residents each month for just $80 in private donations.
You can learn more about the water trailer and our efforts to provide mutual aid here.
You can help! We need attention, donations, and pressure on politicians to act. We ask for your support in the following ways: contacting state officials, donate toward mutual aid efforts, participate in our calls to action, share our content with others and help raise awareness.
Southern WV Coalfield Water Crisis
Ask Gov. Justice to declare a state of emergency and provide clean water to southern coalfield counties
Project News
From 100daysinappalachia.com
From 100daysinappalachia.com
In June 2022, Rev. Brad Davis spoke to the West Virginia Conference of the United Methodist Church on a resolution about clean water in southern
From dailyyonder.com
From wvhighlands.org
Resources
How to Report to the DEP
Download our brochure to learn how to submit a citizen’s complaint.
Problems and Solutions
Download our flyer to see a summary of the issues and solutions proposed by water impacted people.