An effort by Liberty Utilities to fix waterlines broken from the winter storm has been a failure so far.
More than two weeks ago now, the utility presented a giant check to the United Way of Southeast Arkansas for $250,000 to be used to pay for repairs to what started out as some 360 customers. That 360 is the number of water meters that were turned off in the wake of the brutally cold weather in mid-February that froze lines and caused pipes to burst.
Out of that 360, a representative with Liberty said last week that the utility had “100-plus” customers who had qualified to get their pipes fixed. To get to that number, Liberty contracted with an outside firm that specializes in catastrophes. Presumably, the other 260 or so customers had their pipes fixed on their own.
The big freeze hit on Feb. 15 when temperatures dipped to zero, but in the days before and after that the highs never topped freezing. Now it’s spring, more than a month since the trouble started and more than a month since these “100-plus” people lost their water.
And yet, late last week, the United Way had only processed one invoice. It went to one plumber who had fixed the lines at two properties.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
The problem, apparently, is the lack of licensed plumbers. But that was a known fact more than two weeks ago when the final details of this plan were being ironed out. Even then, not one plumber had been found.
The utility representative said to make this project go quickly, some 25 to 30 plumbers are needed. Someone in the plumbing business scoffed at that and said the project would be lucky to attract a half-dozen or so. And in fact, apparently they are lucky to get just one plumber, as of last week.
If Liberty really wanted to help these people, and this should have been done weeks ago, it would not have involved the United Way, which is helping because it can and is not involved in looking for plumbers or directing repairs. It would not have involved the outside firm that is vetting these customers. It would simply have flexed its significant corporate muscle and contacted each of these 360 customers and offered assistance.
At a weekly update meeting with Liberty officials, Mayor Shirley Washington asked another utility representative if he could bring to bear any assistance to get these plumbing problems fixed. You see, the mayor is actually thinking like someone who has been without water for weeks on end. The answer was something along the lines of “No, not on our end.”
That is an insufficient answer. Liberty has plumbing contractors working for it all of the time in Pine Bluff. It brought in more than 120 workers from out of state to help with the water crisis. Could it not have brought in plumbers? Is it going to these “100-plus” customers’ homes to take them water? Has it considered using people who are handy at making repairs to do the work instead of requiring full-fledged plumbers?
One of the complaints from plumbers The Commercial interviewed said they worried about the paperwork involved and about getting paid promptly. Could Liberty not have used some of those outside workers — all of whom have been sent home now — to make sure repairs were done and plumbers paid quickly?
This whole process has turned to mud. If there is any salvaging of the plan, it will have to be done quickly. These “100-plus” customers need help now — needed help a month ago. Getting them that help will not happen by looking up to the heavens and waiting for plumbers to magically appear.
It’s unfortunate that Liberty, which has gotten a lot of criticism for the water system it runs here, could pony up a quarter of a million dollars for a good cause and still find a way to mess things up. But that appears to be exactly what has happened.