(LONG NECK, Del.) - Neighbors of the Winding Creek Village community are relieved Tuesday after the Sussex County Council voted to discontinue plans for the controversial proposed water district.
County Engineer Hanz Medlarz says the decision comes after more than half of Winding Creek Village residents signed a petition to abandon the process. Many of those residents were present during the Sussex County Council meeting on Tuesday, when the decision was made.
"We're relieved certainly. We didn't want to have to give up our private water. We don't feel that the Board had the right to tell us that we're going to have to buy water," said Jean Ward, resident of Winding Creek Village.
Ward says the proposed water district originally came as a shock to residents, after the Winding Creek Village Homeowners Association Board of Directors requested a water district without consulting the entire community first.
"There are 235 homes in Winding Creek Village and maybe 4, 5 or 6 of them have saltwater intrustion. The rest of us don't feel as though we should be robbed of our fresh clean water just to support the lifestyle of the few that might be living on the water front where you're going to have a saltwater intrusion," said Ward.
Ward says the community has been fighting this proposal since February.
"We're very grateful that the Council and the Planning Board heard our voices," said Ward.
During the Sussex County Council meeting, both Robert B. Arlett of District 5 and Vice President Samuel R. Wilson, Jr., stated they support the discontinuation and agree the Homeowners Association Board should have consulted their community first.
Medlarz says although there will be no further planning on the water district, the County will still pursue the proposed Herring Creek Sewer District, which is much larger than Winding Creek Village and also the next big issue Ward says residents will be fighting against.
But according to resident Dave Sullivan, not everyone is against the sewer district proposal.
"I can accept the sewer more than the water, because the sewer, if they ever come through and mandate it, it'll cost more money and if it's causing problems with the creek then I can accept that, but water I couldn't accept," explained Sullivan.
The proposed Herring Creek Sewer District would include Brandywood, Herring Creek Estates, Big Oak Landing, Pine Water Farm, Winding Creek Village and Shawn's Hideaway communities.
A second public meeting on the Herring Creek Sewer District will be held Saturday, May 7 at 10 a.m. at Beacon Middle School.