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Newland considers water shutoff at Old Veil Road trailer park after repeated leaks
Summary
Council and staff debated shutting off water at a trailer park on Old Veil Road after meter readings showed recurrent large-volume leaks; officials proposed a two-day repair deadline and tenant-notification steps while discussing legal, humanitarian and billing implications.
Town staff told the council that leaks at the Old Veil Road trailer park have reappeared after previous repairs and that meter readings have returned to elevated levels, prompting talk of a temporary shutoff if repairs are not completed.
A staff member reported rereading the meter and finding volumes that had previously fallen after repairs now rising again. "They were back up to 330,000 gallons after they were down to less than 200 after they fixed all the leaks in October," the staff member said, indicating a significant and recurring loss of water.
Council members discussed enforcement options. One council member proposed giving the landlord two days to repair the leak and said that if repairs were not completed the town would shut off water on Friday. The council also asked staff to prepare notification letters to place on doors so tenants would know in advance.
Questions arose about liability, tenant impacts, and whether the town should pursue payment or higher-tier billing for large users; the group discussed longer-term infrastructure costs that could run into the millions to rebuild the system.
Town staff said they would try to locate the leak, coordinate with contractor Allen on repairs, and return with a plan for tenant notifications and potential shutoff if the landlord did not act.
Next steps: staff were directed to contact the property owner and contractor, draft door notices for tenants, and report back on progress and any legal steps necessary before shutting off water.
