“Pioneer has done nothing wrong,” Pruitt says

Pioneer Rural Water has retained the prominent Wyche law firm in Greenville to defend itself against those attacking it in the court.  And Pioneer General Manager Terry Pruitt hinted at a potential counter attack, saying, “To protect our customers, Pioneer will have no choice but to explore ways to seek recovery from the plaintiffs for damages from delay caused by their actions.”  Pruitt yesterday said the Oconee County’s action to withhold the building permit is costly.  Speaking to his board of directors, Pruitt said, “Our contractors have told us that this could cost us—and eventually our customers—-several million dollars in construction delays (an estimated $35,000 per day.”) Pioneer supporter Ryan Honea, in the audience at yesterday’s meeting, said he’s fearful that those who are trying to thwart Pioneer’s project to build a treatment plant would ruin the best thing that’s ever happened to the rural southern part of the county—referring to the creation of the Pioneer district that formed in 1965 to bring the first piped water to that part of Oconee County.  In an interview after yesterday’s meeting, Pruitt laid out exactly what the potential costs will be if Pioneer is not allowed to build a plant.  101.7/WGOG NEWS will air that interview today.