It would appear that the worst of the water crisis is behind us. But we’re not sure if the repairs would have happened so quickly had it not been for a full-court press by local, county and state officials. The “it takes a village” line comes to mind.
That list includes Mayor Shirley Washington, County Judge Gerald Robinson, Gov. Asa Hutchinson, Attorney General Leslie Rutledge, the state Public Service Commission and many other leaders, especially at the local level, who have a stake in Pine Bluff and quickly stand up to defend it against all foes.
There is a general feeling that Liberty Utilities, which runs the water system, has failed the city in some form or fashion. And many of those who have that impression have let their thoughts be known in quite a public way, saying such things as Liberty should have announced sooner that there was a problem or that it didn’t do enough to prepare for such an emergency or that it hasn’t invested enough in the water department’s infrastructure.
And then when the governor came to town, well that had to wake up water company officials to the fact that everything they have done and are doing will now be under the microscope.
The water company is a regulated utility so its actions are watched over by the state Public Service Commission. But the interaction between Liberty and the PSC was obviously not sufficient to keep something like this water meltdown from happening if, in fact, Liberty has erred.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
We see it as a good thing that the PSC is weighing in on the situation as the water company should be held accountable for any shortcomings.
But turning a stern eye toward it at this point does nothing to keep the hospital operating, keep UAPB students in their dorms, keep businesses open and working at full speed or keep water coming out of everyone’s faucets.
Liberty’s take on this is that it was a natural disaster, an act of God, if you will, and as such, the utility was helpless to prevent it. The flip side, again, is that it could have done more.
Let’s make sure we find out which is correct. Pine Bluff’s water system is not the only one having problems like this in the state. We suggest a blue-ribbon commission be named to look into these instances of failing water systems, a commission with subpoena power that will get to the bottom of how these companies have been operating. And based on those findings, curative legislation should be introduced that would reset the rules and regulations under which water companies exist and operate.
Perhaps it was all just the weather. But if there was more to it than that, now is the time to figure it out and do our best to keep it from happening again.