By Stan Welch
Williamston Ward Two Councilman Rockey Burgess plans to propose a ten dollar credit on the water bills of the town’s citizens, in response to the extended problems involving the taste, smell and potability of the town’s water supply in recent months.
For several months, the water provided to the town by the Anderson Joint Regional Water Authority (AJRWA)has been heavy on algae and has had a musty odor and a thick, and to most, unpleasant taste.
Burgess is quick to point out that the problems are not the Town’s fault, and couldn’t be resolved by the town’s actions. “For that matter, the AJRWA has done all they can. But the fact is that our citizens have been inconvenienced and in many cases, subjected to the additional expense of buying bottled water to use. This proposed credit is not intended as any response to a claim for compensation. It is simply a good will gesture to our customers to let them know that their Town Council hears them.”
Burgess proposed the one time credit at a Council workshop and has asked that it be placed on the agenda for next Monday night’s Council meeting. In addition to the ten dollar credit for residential customers, the proposal would also include a twenty five dollar credit to the town’s several restaurants.
“The total cost of this would be approximately $22,500, based on the number of customers we have. But AJRWA has credited the town with thousands of gallons of water that we have spent flushing our system at their request, so there will be some savings on that end to offset the expense.”
Burgess stressed that based on the revenue stream generated by the water department, ten dollars is “very doable. I also would like to make it clear that this is being proposed due to the long term exigent circumstances in this case. This won’t be a remedy every time we have a little hiccup along the way.”
Mayor Durham couldn’t be reached for comment before press time, but Burgess said that the mayor opposes the idea.
