WAYNE COUNTY, W.Va. (WVDN) — Governor Patrick Morrisey announced a series of decisive actions and millions of dollars in funding requests aimed at solving long-standing water infrastructure issues across Wayne County and southern West Virginia. Following his administration’s southern West Virginia water listening tour, the Governor outlined key projects designed to eliminate major water leaks, restore reliable service, and secure emergency back-up water supplies for local residents.
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“When we launched our southern West Virginia water listening tour, I promised you that my administration would not sit by while decades of neglect washed away our state’s potential,” said Governor Morrisey. “We went directly into your communities to listen, engage, and act. We are cutting through red tape, we are funding real solutions, and we are delivering results.”
Yesterday, Morrisey made a landmark announcement allocating 145 million dollars for water projects, which should unlock a total of 450 million in overall water projects for the state.
To address severe system failures in Wayne County where providers were losing up to 70% of clean water to underground leaks, amounting to 700,000 gallons wasted daily, the state has partnered directly with West Virginia American Water. Additionally, Governor Morrisey will work to allocate $4 million to construct an emergency pipeline connecting the Crum Public Service District to Lavalette, securing three independent water sources through Kermit, Kenova, and Mingo PSD to prevent future outages.
The administration is also directing the Water Development Authority to approve a targeted $150,000 investment to assist the Town of Fort Gay with a water extension to the Lavalette PSD, leveraging local utility crews for rapid installation. Beyond water infrastructure, the state has deployed disaster recovery funds for home re-connections following recent severe weather and resolved internet connectivity challenges at the Prichard Industrial Park.
Local leaders joined Governor Morrisey for the announcement, including Delegate Ryan Browning, Wayne County Commissioners Marcum and Turner, and Wayne Mayor Ramey.
“We didn’t come to southern West Virginia just to make promises, we came to deliver results,” Governor Morrisey said. “No matter the obstacles, our administration will ensure clean, dependable water reaches every household in West Virginia.”
