CALHOUN FALLS, S.C. —
An update on the ongoing water crisis in Calhoun Falls. Water is flowing and with full pressure again, but is it clean? Beyond the tap, the town is dealing with a lawsuit claiming it owes $400,000 to the city of Abbeville.
Pressure may have been restored but people here say there is little trust it will stay this way. Many residents claim the water flowing out of faucets is still brown or cloudy.
According to Calhoun Falls Councilman Viggo Lassen, the issue with the water comes from the piping system in the town being extremely old. He says after WYFF News 4's last story, he reached out to state representatives who brought in the Rural Water Association, who helped locate leaks and restore running.
"They found several valves that were broken that are going to have to be replaced, and they've been marked," Lassen said.
He says it could take years to repair the town's water system.
The city of Abbeville has filed a lawsuit. Abbeville is under contract to supply water to Calhoun Falls for a monthly fee. The lawsuit specifically names Mayor Terrico Holland and Clerk and Treasurer Wendi Lewis. The lawsuit claims the town owes $400,000.
"I'm also asked requested that we send ‚ we sell water to McCormick — every bit of that money to Abbeville City as a good faith gesture to be able to start paying our bills.
Jody and Kristy Wynn have been having water issues since they moved here a year ago. They doubt the flowing water will remain.
"Before you leave, it could not be even running," Kristy said.
"There hasn't been enough consistency for there to be that kind of trust," Jody said.
The couple says there has been limited transparency from the mayor.
"Somebody suggested, should we just pay it directly to Abbeville and bypass Calhoun Falls? I don't know that answer," Kristy said.
WYFF News 4 reached out to the mayor and the clerk to find out what happened to the funds that were to be paid to the city of Abbeville. We were told "no comment."
"There have not been any answers for where the money is," Lassen said. "There's no answers for why we're in the position we're in. They're not giving us any answers to it."
According to Lassen, a forensic audit is being done on the town's budget for the past four years. He said he hopes it will reveal answers.
The audit is expected to be completed by mid-March.