No Relief for Water Customers
Yanceyville water customer considers class action lawsuit after Town Council refuses to adjust bill to account for days water was considered "largely unusable"
Yanceyville residents, Jessica and Tyler Gramley, addressed Town Council Tuesday night, seeking credit on their February water bill for the 17 days they say their water was undrinkable.
Yanceyville's water customers were without water and/or under a boil water notice for several days in February when the City of Danville experienced a system-wide disruption, temporarily knocking Danville's water treatment plant offline. Yanceyville has been purchasing water from the City of Danville via an emergency access line since July of 2025, when Tropical Storm Chantal delivered a fatal blow to Yanceyville's aging water treatment plant, prompting an extensive overhaul of the local system.
Jessica Gramley, who live on Main Street in Yanceyville, told Council during their May 12 meeting that her February bill totaled $168, and requested they reduce that bill to $66. That amount, she explained, covered the 11 days she had usable water and removed charges for the 17 days she says her water was "largely unusable."
Photos courtesy of Jessica Gramley / Ben Sears with Clear Water Solutions said it took several days of flushing the water lines to restore water quality at the Gramley residence.
Kamara Barnett, Yanceyville's Town Manager, explained that she had placed the Gramley request on the Council's agenda because existing policy did not provide a mechanism for her to approve the requested reduction. She advised Council that the request provided them an opportunity to consider whether they would grant an exception and approve the reduction, or update existing policy to allow for staff to approve reductions in similar circumstances.
"I don't think that was unique to you though," Council Member Kenneth Darnell said to Gramley when she addressed Council.
