Ellendale residents reject water system

For the second time in less than a decade, Ellendale residents have rejected a plan to provide a public water system to the small town. In a Nov. 4 referendum, residents voted 120-107 against the proposed plan.

Sussex officials had been developing the plan for months in partnership with Artesian Water Co. “The effort level on behalf of the citizens and the county was significant. However, in the end the voters have the final say when it comes to district creations,” said Sussex County engineer Hans Medlarz.

The system would have cost the average household about $400 annually. And for the first time, Sussex County would not have charged residents to hook into the system. Total cost of the project was projected at $5 million.

Even with a partial subsidy, cost was the overriding factor for those who voted against the plan. Alice Fox said she is pleased the referendum failed. “I'm happy it didn't pass because I was totally against it,” Fox said.

Fox said she knows some people in town have bad water, but she didn't want to give up her well or pay another bill. “I still have two more bills to pay this month and have less than $100 to live on for the rest of the month,” she said. “I just couldn't afford it.”

Fox said she hopes the county finds an alternative way to help those in need. “There must be something they can do for those people and not have to put it on other people that don't want it,” she said.

Others were upset by the vote, and are still convinced the town needs clean water.

Kendal Tyre, executive director of Ellendale's New Hope Recreation and Development Center, said he isn't giving up hope for a public water system in the future. “I'm disappointed that the residents of Ellendale didn't take advantage of this great opportunity,” he said. “I think it's going to happen – it's just a matter of when. It's the right thing to do.”

In the meantime, he said, the center will continue using bottled water. “It's unfortunate, but life goes on,” he said.

Carolyn Davis said she didn't understand why more people didn't vote for clean water. “It was really a let-down because we need clean water,” she said. “I don't understand.”

The county already provides sewer to Ellendale residents, but drinking water comes from private wells. A previous request to hook up to a public system was defeated during a 2009 referendum. This time, nearly 60 Ellendale residents petitioned the county to establish a water district.

Under the proposed plan, Artesian would have supplied the water and maintained the system while the county would have handled billing.