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Water Issue Complicates Flood Cleanup In Wetzel County

Photo Provided by Mercedez Goff This Wetzel County Emergency Medical Service ambulance is covered past its tires late Friday as floodwater infiltrated the Hundred Volunteer Fire Department.

HUNDRED — Cleaning up after flash flooding as severe as what Ohio Valley residents experienced over the weekend is difficult enough under normal circumstances.

In a couple of Wetzel County communities, residents are faced with that task while being asked to conserve water.

In Pine Grove, residents had been under a water rationing plan with the town buying water from Wetzel County Public Service District No. 1 due to pump that failed at the town’s treatment plant last week.

On Sunday, officials discovered a leak in the system, forcing them to shut off water service to residents.

Even with the flooding, that rationing plan remains in effect, Pine Grove Mayor Barbara King said Monday. And the entire town remains under a boil order.

King said cleanup kits are being provided by the Pine Grove Fire Department and there are drinking water supplies provided by MarkWest Energy available at the Byrd Center.

Some residents expressed frustration as they said they had not had running water for days. King said she believed this is due to the water leaks draining the tanks and not enough pressure to pump the water.

In Hundred, one of the areas of Wetzel County which experienced the most devastation due to Friday’s flash flood, Councilman Chipper Goff asked residents to use water sparingly as the town lost four of its water wells Friday night.

Goff said Hundred had only 10,000 gallons of water in a tank, as 40,000 gallons were lost due to a broken line. He asked that residents boil water until further notice.

Hundred, Pine Grove, Jacksonburg, Smithfield, and Pricetown were all hit by steady and heavy rains — which came as residents of Hundred were still in the process of cleaning up from flooding that occurred the previous weekend.

Residents in the towns of Pricetown and Smithfield reported water in yards, basements and garages. Dog kennels and dog houses were washed away as a result of flooding.

Resident John Tedrow said he had to run through a current of water to rescue his dogs.

Meanwhile, Wileyville Volunteer Fire Department members reported that their neighbors at Hundred Volunteer Fire Department had “lost everything.”

Hundred VFD member Bert Anderson said four trucks were lost due to flood damage.

Goff said officials are working to establish a shelter at Hundred High School.

Valley High School in Pine Grove also received flooding. The National Guard had been present in Hundred and Pine Grove, collecting items, damaged by the flood that residents had left curbside.

Tetanus shots via the Wetzel County Health Department were being provided at Hundred High School on Monday with plans to do the same at Pine Grove’s Byrd Center today.

The Burton Clinic in Hundred also accepted walk-in appointments on Monday for tetanus shots.

Volunteers at Hundred High School had also been offering hot meals for those affected by the flooding, and cleaning supplies and water have been available at HHS and the Byrd Center in Pine Grove.

West Virginia Delegate Dave Pethtel, D-Wetzel, called the weekend flood “the worst flooding I have personally witnessed in Wetzel County during my lifetime.”

Pethtel said he has spoken with Gov. Jim Justice’s office, state Sen. Charles Clements, R-Wetzel, and the office of U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., to coordinate relief efforts for Wetzel County residents.

“We are working to get the proper agencies on the ground to help people recover from this terrible experience,” Pethtel said.

Several drop-off points were established for donations. The Magnolia High School Future Farmers of America Club, the Paden City Volunteer Fire Company Auxiliary and New Martinsville Volunteer Fire Department all collected supplies and water in the first two days after the flooding.

Supplies are also being accepted at New Martinsville School, Paden City Elementary and Short Line School. Items needed include water, brooms, mops, shovels, squeegees, gloves, and cleaning supplies.

The Wetzel County Museum will be collecting supplies for flood relief. The museum has normal hours 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

New Martinsville businesses Paw Spa and Anytime Fitness are also collecting donations.

Tyler County residents are also reaching out to help their neighbors. Holler Sisters Crafts and Chelsi Parr of Parr’s Crafts will be collecting items during the fair this week.

Brooke Lemasters, of Bombshell Hair Studio in Sistersville, said she is collecting donations for her hometown of Hundred.

The Gabriel Project was at Hundred High School on Monday and was expected at Valley High School on Tuesday to accept donations for flood relief. Bayer Heritage Federal Credit Union’s Proctor and New Martinsville branches have offered to be a drop-off location for flood relief.

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