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Funds Donated for Drinking Water

By Staff | May 13, 2020

Eric Yost, candidate for Wetzel County Commissioner, is pictured presenting Tonya Shular of the Paden City Water Crisis Group with a donation of $3,000 for clean drinking water and home testing of hard chemicals.

For several years Paden City residents have had concerns about the safety of their drinking water.

More recently it became a hot topic among residents when it was discovered the amount of contamination of the chemical Tetrachloroethyene (PCE) exceeded the allowable levels.

City officials have maintained for the past couple years that the contamination is not dangerous and does not have immediate heath risks.

The Paden City water crisis group, made up of four women in the community, believe different and have worked non-stop to secure safe drinking for all the residents.

With the help of donations from local businesses and Nestle they have been able to pass out cases of water to each household in the town, with the most recent distribution occurring on Friday, May 1.

“We have worked hard and through adversity to try and get clean drinking water to everyone that needs it. Even when we’ve been ridiculed and talked down to, we continued to move forward,” said Shular.

The city has put in a new water stripper plant, which they believe will solve the problem, but the water crisis group is not as confident and are going to continue testing homes following the start up of the new plant.

“We believe there is a bigger problem that needs addressed. Our water lines are old. The water storage tanks need replaced and we believe the stripper plant is a bandaid approach to the need for a new water scource,” Shular added.

Shular made contact with Eric Yost, a businessman in the Hundred area who is also a candidate for county commissioner. Yost has years of experience dealing in infrastructure and when informed of the need in Paden City, he offered assistance to aid with tap testing at homes and for purchasing safe bottled drinking water.

“I have been through this before in my hometown and it’s not an easy thing to deal with. I am happy to be able to offer whatever assistance I can to the good people of Paden City,” said Yost.

Shular said the water crisis groups funds were dried up and this donation couldn’t have come at a better time. “We are going to continue our fight for clean water and if the water stripper plant works, we will continue to monitor our homes and businesses to make sure they remain safe.”

Shular said she wanted to take Eric Yost for his generous donation on behalf of the residents of Paden City.