Edmonson County Water District to Focus on Edmonson Customers Only

Nearly 5000 Grayson & Hart County Customers to Be Transferred to Other Providers

Darren Doyle, story and photo:
The Edmonson County Water District announced today that nearly 5,000 district customers outside of Edmonson County will be transferred to other water service providers.

In a statement provided to the Edmonson Voice, the ECWD said that in early 2024 the Board of the Edmonson County Water District set out to complete a long term assessment of the condition of the Edmonson County Water District infrastructure and assets. The results of the assessment showed that one of the most challenging struggles was the capacity of available treated water to the customers between the two treatment plants.

An original study conducted by HMB Engineering of Frankfort, KY generated a plan to consolidate both plants into one and locate a new treatment plant somewhere on Nolin Lake in the center of the entire service area. This project estimate became so large that economically it had too significant of a financial impact on the Water District customers, according to the district.
 
"After evaluating and reviewing alternative supplies of water sources from surrounding Water Systems and asking if they had surplus water resources it was found that excess capacity was limited at best and very difficult to move to the more needed areas of the Edmonson system," the statement read. "However, what did come from these conversations was that two neighboring systems Green River Valley Water District (GRVWD) & Grayson County Water District (GCWD) did have the abilities to supply the resources needed of treated water and personnel to the customers of the two counties that each of them served separately. GRVWD to the Hart County customers & GCWD to the customers served in Grayson County by Edmonson County Water District."
 
The ECWD further stated that after much deliberation and evaluating different scenarios, the best interest of all the customers of the Edmonson County Water District would be to negotiate an arrangement where the GRVWD will begin serving the customers in Hart County that is served by Edmonson Water and  GCWD to begin serving the customers served by Edmonson Water in Grayson County.

"I really feel like this is a good decision," said ECWD General Manager Kevin Shaw. "We really believe this is best for all customers."

Shaw said that Edmonson County residents will see no impact on the decision.

"Our Hart and Grayson County customers should see no interruption in their water service but we ask for your patience as we transfer documentation and billing information to the new providers."

Shaw said he hopes for a smooth transaction for out-of-county customers and they are working to make it as efficient as possible.

Shaw also said there will be some slight exceptions to the decision. The ECWD services just a few Warren and Butler County customers, but they will NOT be affected by this move. They will remain as ECWD customers. Additionally, there will be a customer here and there in Hart and Grayson Counties that will also remain, depending on exactly where you fall along the county lines. Customers affected will be contacted further.
 
According to the ECWD, it is anticipated that beginning July 1st, 2025, Hart County customers will begin using the GRVWD office as their new point of contact and the Grayson County customers will begin using the GCWD office as their new point of contact beginning August 1st; however, the ECWD said that these are projected dates, only, and the final date will be shared in various ways as the dates become closer.

In addition, as EC rates are slightly lower than the other two providers, all rates will continue to be billed at the current approved rates as currently published by the Edmonson County Water District until complete approval by the Kentucky Public Service commission and all other federal and State agencies involved have officially approved the transition, according to the water district.

*6/05/25 at 12:40PM: this headline was changed for clarity