Letter to the Editor: Request for Immediate Emergency Action Regarding Hartman Water Crisis: Shawn Casey

Commissioners and County Attorney,

I am submitting this letter for the record because Hartman’s ongoing water crisis has now reached a point where the county’s continued inaction raises serious legal, statutory, and public health concerns.

SB26157 was enacted as an emergency measure. Its legislative intent was explicit: to ensure immediate stabilization of small, atrisk water systems and to prevent exactly the kind of public health hazard Hartman is now experiencing. Despite this, Hartman remains without a certified water operator, without potable water distribution, and without any emergency water tanker support. Residents continue to rely on algaecontaminated water.

At this stage, the county’s failure to act appears inconsistent with both the statutory obligations created under SB26157 and the county’s general duty to protect public health and safety. The bill’s emergency designation is not discretionary; it imposes a heightened expectation of timely intervention. The absence of any meaningful response raises questions about compliance with the statute’s requirements and whether the county is meeting its minimum standard of care.

Accordingly, I am requesting a written explanation of the cause of the delay in appointing a qualified water operator. A clear timeline for when potable water — either bottled or via tanker — will be provided. A statement from the County Attorney regarding the county’s legal obligations under SB26157 and whether current actions (or inaction) align with those obligations.

Because this situation involves ongoing public health risks and apparent noncompliance with SB26157’s emergency requirements, I am also providing a copy of this correspondence to local media to ensure transparency and public awareness. The residents of Hartman deserve to know what actions the county is taking — or failing to take — in response to this emergency.

Hartman has been effectively abandoned by the systems designed to protect it. I am asking directly: What is the county waiting for? The conditions in Hartman constitute an ongoing public health risk. Residents of Hartman are entitled to safe water and to compliance with state law.

I look forward to your prompt written response.

Sincerely,
Shawna Casey