GRANT TOWN -- For the first time in 10 days, Grant Town has drinkable water. The town has been on a boil water advisory due to multiple leaks in the water system. Even though those leaks are fixed for the moment, town officials warn the worst may be still to come.
"In my opinion and the water commissioners opinion, this water system is failing," said Grant Town Mayor Bob Riggs.
The water lines in Grant Town date back to the 1940's. With cold weather and heavy traffic, lines break frequently.
"With the amount of leaks we've had just recently, seven leaks in a week! That's unheard of, we've never had that many problems before," said Mayor Riggs.
Grant Town has secured $1.5 million in a small cities block grant and a $1.7 million loan through West Virginia Infrastructure to update its entire water system.
The town is still in the process of negotiating right of ways, before work can begin.
"It's about a two month bid period, so we hope to award the project soon and start digging by January or February of next year," said Mayor Riggs.
Until then, the town is bracing for a bad winter for water. It has already sent a letter to each household telling residents to stockpile drinking water.
"We've asked each homeowner to stock a minimum of four gallons of water because we can't, at this point, guarantee them drinking water," said Riggs.
Town officials have already contacted the Office of Emergency Services in Marion County asking for help this winter supplying drinking water to residents in town.
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