PSC Schedules March 19 Hearings in Welch Over Gary Water Crisis

The West Virginia Public Service Commission convened back-to-back hearings at the McDowell Armory in Welch on March 19, bringing state regulators and local residents together to examine the deepening crisis at Gary Municipal Water Works, a system that has struggled with long-standing water quality problems, substantial water loss, and operational failures serious enough to trigger a formal state investigation.

The public comment hearing opened at 11 a.m. in the County Commission Conference Room at 600 Stewart St., followed by an evidentiary hearing at the same location. The proceedings stem from a general investigation the PSC launched in July 2025 under the Distressed and Failing Utilities Improvement Act, which gives the commission authority to intervene in utilities deemed too compromised to serve their customers adequately.

The March 19 hearings mark a critical juncture in Case No. 25-0611-W-DU, which has been building toward a formal determination about Gary's water future since it was opened nine months ago. On February 6, PSC staff moved the case forward by recommending that the utility be officially designated as distressed and that the McDowell County Public Service District be appointed to assist the town in addressing the system's deficiencies. A distressed designation would open the door to additional regulatory oversight and operational support.

The problems at Gary Municipal Water Works are not new. The PSC investigation catalogued management challenges at the plant alongside significant water loss from the distribution system, compounding concerns about water quality that have persisted for years in the small McDowell County town. Gary sits in one of the most economically challenged counties in the country, where aging infrastructure and limited municipal resources have long strained public services.

Whether the PSC issued any formal order designating Gary's utility as distressed at or following the March 19 hearing has not yet been confirmed in public filings. The evidentiary hearing that followed the public comment session was designed to build the official record the commission needs before issuing any such ruling. Residents, county officials, and PSC representatives were present at the hearing, though the full testimony and any exhibits introduced into evidence remain to be documented in the official transcript.

Full case documents, including the staff recommendation from February 6 and any orders issued by the commission, are available through the PSC website by searching Case No. 25-0611-W-DU under the Case Information section at psc.state.wv.us.