FLORENCE, SC (WPDE) — Former Florence County Councilman Ken Ard took office in 2004. Ard said he had ongoing concerns about the water system during his time as councilman.

He told ABC15 he believes the city and county have a water monopoly.

According to Ard, the county sold its water system to the city before he was on the council, and he believes officials placed more emphasis on revenue-generating expansion than on critical maintenance.

Ard said officials had become too dependent on the surface water treatment plant and had failed to invest in maintenance infrastructure.

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He wants Congress and district leaders of the region’s cities and counties to discuss whether they have reliable and affordable water supplies and how leaders can create an ultimate utility.

It’s not the fault of the current council or mayor, I mean they inherited this problem. It’s a problem that’s been around for decades and it’s easy to understand because politicians want to be re-elected and you get re-elected by making the public happy, you expand the water supply but I think we expanded at the expense of maintenance,” Ard said.

Ard said that those responsible had not invested in maintaining the existing system over the past twenty years.

In his opinion, those responsible should also pay attention to how old and dilapidated the underground pipes are and how high the maintenance costs are.

I want us to start thinking about what are good and alternative responses. I’m sorry that someone’s clothes are dingy. I’m sorry that the drinking water is not as clean as it should be. I’m sorry about the recommendation not to boil the water, but none of that is going to change unless we look at the bigger picture and think about how we address the problem. And while we address the problem, it seems to me like the only answer or solution is to consider an alternative provider,” Ard said.

ABC15 has reached out to the City of Florence for a response and we will let you know as soon as we receive a response.