Liberty Utilities is facing scrutiny as it seeks to extend its reach, even as residents of Litchfield Park and parts of Goodyear north of I-10 are still reeling from last summer's water pressure woes. As Liberty stands before the Arizona Corporation Commission today with hopes of expanding its service area, concern, and dissension among residents linger.
In an attempt to prevent history from repeating itself, town hall voices have been loud and clear. "We can't go through this again next Summer," Litchfield Park resident Anthony Park voiced in a November meeting, as reported by ABC15. John Connelly referred to the summer as "an entire debacle" at the last ACC meeting. Both stories underscore a palpable dread of another season marred by utility struggles.
Liberty's response to the deep-seated issues has been to blame the scorching weather and surging demand, while also acknowledging the delay in bringing new wells online due to unforeseen supply chain holdups. Even so, Liberty Utilities has been endeavoring to rectify past missteps by purchasing new devices to monitor pressure and has ceased supplementing its supply with water from nearby Goodyear. "Liberty is doing everything we can do to ensure that our customers do not experience the same experience they had last summer," Gilbertson ensured in a statement obtained by ABC15. Notwithstanding these efforts, local officials, including Mayor Thomas Schoaf, have expressed anxiety over the proposed expansion, prompting him to ask the ACC to reject Liberty's request in a written appeal.
The repercussions of last summer's predicaments reached beyond the faucets and lawns of the West Valley residents—a violation letter from Maricopa County was sent to Liberty in October. In response, Liberty confirmed it had met the late-December deadline but details of the reply were kept from the public eye. The utility's expansion fate hinges on today's ACC meeting, which local city leadership from Litchfield Park has confirmed they will attend, presumably to bring their constituents' concerns to the forefront.
