An emotionally charged meeting of the Summerton Town Council on June 10 was dominated by concerns over water billing discrepancies and quality issues affecting the North Shore community, with Property Manager Sheena Hartfield demanding immediate accountability and action from town officials.
Hartfield, who manages 81 units in the North Shore development, delivered a pointed and detailed account of erratic billing patterns, culminating in what she described as an attempted $19,182 bank draft for water charges on June 10.
“Our first bill was $306.16 for nine meters. The next month, it was $3,798. By April, we were charged $9,562.66,” Hartfield told council. “And as of today, we’re looking at $19,182 drafted from our account.”
She noted repeated attempts to resolve the issue with former water department staff and Town Administrator Mary Adger, saying her office had submitted meter readings regularly and flagged the billing discrepancies months ago.
“It’s as simple as a decimal point in the wrong place,” Hartfield said. “I’ve been patient. We’ve taken the hit financially, but this is the straw that breaks the camel’s back.”
Council members expressed concern and confusion over the scale of the billing errors and water quality complaints. Hartfield distributed copies of meter readings and statements, showing some accounts jumping from $30 to over $1,900 in one billing cycle.
Councilman Robert Sandifer called the situation unacceptable.
“$35,000 in water charges? This is the first I’ve heard of this,” Sandifer said. “We have to make this the top priority. This isn’t just about numbers—this affects people’s lives.”
Adger confirmed that the town has struggled to process adjustments due to staffing changes and ongoing training.
“There were requests for adjustments, and we haven’t had time to address them yet,” Adger said. “We’re asking for patience as we work through these.”
Adger also acknowledged there were occasions when the power was disconnected at the water tank due to nonpayment, causing temporary outages. While a generator is typically in place to restore service, Hartfield reported at least one incident where it failed to kick on, leaving residents without water for hours.
Councilwoman Elaine Wood said she was “mortified” and unaware of the issues until Hartfield’s testimony. Councilwoman LeAnn Berry agreed, vowing that council would work toward resolution and transparency.
“Please come to us,” Berry said. “The buck stops here.”
The town’s contracted engineer, Chris Waddell of American Engineering, provided updates on water and sewer projects funded by state grants. He said that while improvements are underway, including a deeper well for North Shore expected to yield cleaner water, no filtration system for iron has been implemented.
“Iron in groundwater is not regulated unless it exceeds certain limits,” Waddell said. “But oxidation from chlorine treatment can cause that ‘chocolate milk’ appearance residents are describing.”
Public Works Director Anthony Smith reported flushing hydrants and checking for leaks but admitted that issues with the town’s handheld reading system had disrupted consistent meter reads.
Council members raised the possibility of temporarily returning to manual reads until the digital system proves more reliable.
During public comment, Patricia Henry echoed Hartfield’s concerns, noting inconsistent billing, delayed statements, and poor communication.
“If the bills are going to be late, put it on the website, post a sign, let people know,” Henry said. “We’re on fixed incomes. We can’t afford surprises.”
In other reports, the Interim Police Chief LeShawn Green presented his monthly report, noting that the department responded to 16 calls for service, issued 10 traffic warnings and 7 citations, and conducted 21 property checks between June 1 and the meeting date. Green provided further details on the June 6 shooting incident at Wausau Park, where a crowd of children had gathered to play basketball. While no injuries were reported, gunfire resulted in three bullet holes striking a nearby residence.
Town Administrator Mary Adger outlined her activities over the past month, which included attending bid openings for the town’s Statewide Comprehensive Infrastructure Improvement Program (SCIIP) Division C project, submitting required reports to the Department of Environmental Services, and overseeing payroll and staffing matters. Adger also highlighted the impact of recent severe storms that brought down trees and caused power outages across Summerton, noting the need for better preparation and coordination.
Adger reminded residents that beginning July 2, Town Hall will temporarily close on Wednesdays to allow staff time to catch up on administrative work and ensure continuity of services.
She also addressed some of the billing backlog issues raised during the public comment period, acknowledging that while efforts are underway to process meter readings more efficiently using handheld devices, manual reads are still required for about 200 meters town-wide. Adger emphasized that any billing errors or credit adjustments would be addressed but asked residents to be patient as new employees are trained.
Chris Waddell, project engineer with American Engineering, provided a comprehensive update on multiple infrastructure projects underway throughout the town.
He reported that the new Goat Island water main and elevated storage tank project is nearly complete and should be online by August, pending final tie-ins and regulatory approvals. “We’re finishing the last few steps, including sampling and testing the tank, and once we receive our permit to operate, it will go live,” Waddell said.
Other grant-funded projects include:
Gravity Sewer Rehab: Contract awarded to Hinterland Group for rehabilitation between the town and the wastewater treatment plant. Work is expected to begin within 4–6 weeks.
Fire Hydrant & Valve Replacements: Southern Fiber Construction & Management has been awarded the contract to replace 19 hydrants and 19 valves throughout town. Work should begin on a similar timeline.
North Shore Well Construction: A new well is planned to improve both redundancy and water quality for the North Shore system. The project received only one bid, which was over budget. Waddell said the town has applied for additional grant funding, noting the town would be responsible for matching 15% of any new funds awarded.
Goat Island Sewer Improvements: The town has issued notices of award to Southern Fiber and AAA Utility & Construction for the installation of a sewer force main and two pump stations. The project will ultimately decommission the Goat Island Wastewater Treatment Plant and reroute wastewater to the main town facility.
Waddell assured the council that all grant-funded projects are on track to meet the 2026 completion deadline. He also addressed concerns raised about water quality, particularly in North Shore, explaining that while the new well will draw from a deeper aquifer and likely yield better water, the current iron content remains below regulated limits and does not legally require filtration. However, he acknowledged the visual and aesthetic issues reported by residents.
Ending with council comments, Mayor Keith Bowman and council members pledged to follow up directly with Hartfield and the North Shore community. An internal meeting with administrators and engineers is expected to be scheduled to determine next steps.
“We hear you. We see the problem now,” Bowman said. “It’s our job to fix it and we will.”
