Shut up or shut off? Denmark's troubled waters

Monday, Feb. 12. 2018

DENMARK, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - The woman who helped bring a team to Denmark to test the water says she's the one being tested now for speaking up. From her water being turned off to a death threat, Deanne Berry now fears for her safety after speaking up in a News 12 investigation. In the meantime, a Bamberg County leader may have found a way around the mayor to test Denmark's water.

Deanne Berry just returned home from a Make a Wish trip for her daughter. "No water, nothing," she said. Her water off, four days before the bill shows it's due.

Liz Owens: "Why do you think your water was turned off before the due date?"

Deanne Berry: "Honestly? I think I have been targeted. I think it's intentional."

Berry believes the city is punishing her for speaking up over it's water issue. Ever since she began working with Dr. Marc Edwards last fall on testing Denmark's water her bill has also been going up. Then there was the death threat. She filed a report with law enforcement after our News 12 investigation aired. She interviewed with us speaking out against the mayor for refusing to allow Dr. Edwards to test the city's wells. "I am im worried about my children's safety, my husbands safety. I'm worried about the safety of other citizens," she said.

Councilman Trent Kindard also worries about the safety of people in his county. He's asked the mayor to reconsider. So has Rep. Justin Bamberg. So far, the mayor has not answered either elected official.

"It's been a major concern by the citizens of Denmark. What is in their water," Councilman Kindard said. He wants to test the water in stored in a county owned tower. The water in it is Denmark's. Council voted to do that-- last week.

"It concerned me that we are being a conduit for bad wate. If that turns out to be the case, that Denmark water is bad, the county itself is being a conduit for bad water by letting it run back through our tank back to the citizens of Denmark," Kindard said.

Berry turned the water back on herself. She says with two terminally ill children she could not afford to wait on the city. The city gave her a ticket on Monday.

Mayor Gerald Wright says Berry had a past due amount which why her water was turned off. The past due amount was not listed on her current bill.