Ennice residents request water aid

The Alleghany County Commissioners' meeting was attended by a full house on Monday evening, most of whom came to address a water issue for their area.

According to information provided at the meeting, the Foggy Mountain General Store (owned by Pam and Bob Cody) on N.C. 18, across from the intersection with Edmonds Road, has been forced to close down its gas tanks due to its proximity to public water sources.

County Manager Don Adams informed the board that the existing tanks are in violation of North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources regulations.

The public water sources that are within 500 feet of the gas station are wells that feed water to another store and a restaurant across the street.

Grayson County, Va. has a water line in the Fairview area that it is extending into the Edmonds community. That line will end at the state line. Several Ennice residents want the water line to be extended into North Carolina so the gas station can re-open. Dale Spears was the only person on the agenda who had asked to speak to the commissioners.

Spears said the water is needed in that area. "Anything we can do to improve the water or sewer or anything else (will help us) be able to get things on that end of the county that we haven't been able to get before," he said.

He noted the water line extension would help the small community "right now," as well as providing needed water resources into the future.

"If we want to expand and get people to fill up Alleghany County, this would be a cheap and easy way to get them water," said Spears. Commissioner Sandy Herndon asked if the sole purpose of installing the line is to allow the gas station to re-open.

Adams said he had originally treated the request as an economic development venture to help get water to the store. "It's really a question to the citizens," he said.

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