Winding Creek residents want out of Sussex water district
Sussex County Council may have the final say on a controversial water district at its Tuesday, May 3 meeting.
Since the process to form a new district surfaced, a group of Winding Creek Village residents has appeared at several county council meetings to oppose joining the proposed water district for their community along Banks Road in Long Neck.
Hans Medlarz, chief county engineer, said county officials were obligated by state law to initiate the process when they received more than 50 petitions from Winding Creek Village residents to create a district. The process includes a public information meeting, an engineering study and a referendum.
Since then, Medlarz said, it's become apparent there is considerable opposition to a water district; more than 50 percent of residents filed petitions to abandon the process. He said it will up to council to terminate the process or to proceed and hold a referendum.
Resident Jeanette Cosgrove has spoken at several council meetings. She said Winding Creek Village homeowners association board of directors made a decision to request a water district because of saltwater intrusion in some homeowners' wells, without consulting the entire community.
“The board did not poll the community, and Winding Creek Village residents did not get a chance to vote like we have on every other proposal,” she said.
She said more than 190 property owners of the 230 had returned petitions to the county indicating they were not interested in joining the proposed water district.
Resident Jean Ward said the proposed water district would benefit only a few residents who live near the water. “They chose to live there,” she said during a recent council meeting. “We should not have to subsidize the lifestyles of those few. We don't want the government or big business controlling our water.”
The first homes in the community were built in the late 1970s. Today, Winding Creek Village is a mix of waterfront homes on Guinea and Herring creeks, and homes with large lots.
The county has more than 20 sewer districts but only one water district serving Dewey Beach. Under the proposal, the county would provide all infrastructure, metering and billing, and would purchase bulk water from Tidewater Utilities. The proposed annual cost of water service ranged from $474 to $608 based on property front footage.
Sewer district meeting planned for May 7
Winding Creek Village is also one of the communities included in the proposed Herring Creek sewer district. Medlarz said some residents have also voiced concern about joining the sewer district, but the county has not received any petitions in opposition.
The proposed Herring Creek sewer district would include the communities of Brandywood, Herring Creek Estates, Big Oak Landing, Pine Water Farm, Winding Creek Village and Shawn's Hideaway.
A second public meeting to discuss the sewer district has been scheduled by Sussex County officials at 10 a.m., Saturday, May 7, at Beacon Middle School on Route 24. Medlarz said the proposed water district will not be discussed during the meeting.
The first sewer district referendum was postponed when residents inundated county officials with questions. “Some parties were not 100 percent satisfied with all the answers we presented during the first meeting,” Medlarz said.
John Ashman, county director of utility planning, said the referendum has now been rescheduled for Saturday, July 9.
County officials estimate the typical annual cost for customers in the proposed Herring Creek sewer district, for a home with 40 feet of frontage, would be $631; annual costs for a home with 100 feet of front footage would be $1,126. That cost includes annual front-footage fees plus an annual service charge of $302.
For existing homes, the $5,775 system connection fee would be included in the financing of the system. Future homes would be assessed the connection fee.
