CHARLESTON, W.Va. –The West Virginia Public Service Commission held a public comment hearing Tuesday evening on the proposed sale of the Lincoln County Public Service District to West Virginia American Water.
The West Virginia American Water plans to purchase the Lincoln County Public Service District for $12.9 million. The Lincoln County Commission approved the sale in July 2025; however, the PSD voted against it in September 2025.
The Lincoln County Public Service District serves about 2,500 customers in Lincoln and Kanawha counties.
Jesse Dolin spoke to the West Virginia Public Service Commission during Tuesday’s hearing, reading from a letter written by his mother, Mary Dolin.
In the letter, Jesse said his mother has been trying to get water service to her home since 1990, about 35 years. She said she lives about a mile from a West Virginia American Water line in Kanawha County and about a mile from the Lincoln County Public Service District.
“I’ve tried drilling wells, but I can’t get a good one, the government and utilities help out other areas, but not ours, it feels like we’ve been forgotten by the district, county, and state, and up until now West Virginia American Water,” Jesse read from the letter.
Jesse said his mother currently collects rainwater for use.
In the letter, Mary said a filing by West Virginia American Water indicated plans to extend service along Mud River and Sugar Creek Road, which she said was disappointing.
Jesse said the letter stated she was disappointed because most of those areas have good well water.
“If the company wants to get the folks who really needs water, they should be looking at areas that drilling a well is nearly impossible like mine, which is actually closer to the lines than some of the places in their filling,” he read. “My neighbors and I live closer to the main water lines than the proposed Sugar Tree Road extension or the one and half miles out to the campground that they plan on serving.”
She also said in her letter that officials with West Virginia American Water met with the Lincoln County Commission in January 2025 and said they planned to invest $21 million in improvements in the first five years, with total improvements reaching $35 million.
Jesse said the letter stated that if the acquisition is approved and the company does not extend service to those areas, it would not be an improvement over the current system.
“If you approve the acquisition the commission should make sure areas like ours, get priorities, if the water company won’t commit to extending service just a mile or two from existing lines, their Lincoln County proposal isn’t much of an improvement over the Public Service District,” he read.
She said she wants the West Virginia American Water to lay out specific plans to extend service to areas that do not have it and wants the West Virginia Public Service Commission to ensure those plans are carried out.
“The commission should make sure that they really do expand to areas like ours, which are just a mile or two away from the extension lines,” Jesse read. “We may not be the big headlines everyone’s talking about but if you approve West Virginia American Water’s takeover, you should require that they promise to serve folks like us too.”
Public comments are still being accepted. Those interested in submitting a comment may send one by mail to Executive Secretary, P.O. Box 812, Charleston, WV 25323, referencing Case No. 25-0681-W-PC or submit one online by visiting the West Virginia Public Service Commission website and clicking “Submit a Comment.”