McDowell Water Woes Surface at Beckley Candidates Forum

The central question at the Beckley candidates forum was not who had the sharper campaign line, but who had a real plan for the water problems still hitting McDowell County and neighboring Wyoming County, how fast relief would come, and which communities would see it first.

People at the April 8 forum kept pressing for answers about water quality, a sign that the issue remains unresolved across southern West Virginia. In McDowell County, the stakes are daily: unsafe or unreliable water affects drinking, bathing, school routines and household budgets, while families in places such as Anawalt, Gary, Leckie and Welch continue to wait for a fix that lasts longer than another emergency delivery.

State Sen. Rollan Roberts and Dr. Michael Antolini offered different messages in the District 9 race. Roberts cast the contest around issues that affect West Virginians directly and said his work in the Legislature has focused on helping southern residents deal with infrastructure problems. Antolini argued that the region needs a fresh perspective and said the next generation of leadership should help write its next chapter. He also said he wants to secure the Republican nomination.

Water has already been one of the coalfields’ biggest policy fights this year. Del. David Green of McDowell County and Del. Adam Vance of Wyoming County worked on bills to send more money to district water systems. Green first backed a $250 million proposal for southern counties, then cut it to $10 million after failing to win support. The Southern West Virginia Clean Water Fund bill, which covered Boone, Fayette, Greenbrier, Lincoln, Logan, McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, Monroe, Raleigh, Summers, Wayne and Wyoming counties, failed in the House by a 46-47 vote.

State leaders have tried to respond with targeted spending. On Feb. 13, Gov. Patrick Morrisey announced $9.5 million in Abandoned Mine Land Economic Revitalization grants for five water and sewer projects in McDowell and Mingo counties, along with a statewide flood-warning pilot program. He later said he was “not sure of all the reasons why” the clean-water bill failed. Appalachian Voices has said the McDowell County Public Service District estimates a $7 million first-phase upgrade for Anawalt, including a new water tank that would benefit at least 200 to 250 people.

The scale of the problem remains visible in day-to-day deliveries. Since May 2024, more than 2,060 cases of water have been distributed to more than 280 homes in McDowell County communities. That is the measure voters are likely to remember long after campaign season ends: whether the next round of leaders can turn funding promises into permanent water lines, treatment upgrades and reliable service at the tap.