Several Woodlands residents and supporters of their efforts to have Butler County pay to provide public water service to the rural development spoke at the Butler County commissioners meeting Wednesday.

Diane Arnold of Middlesex Township told the commissioners that Woodlands residents aren’t seeking a handout, but “they just want restored what was theirs before the drilling started.”

County Commissioner Jim Eckstein reaffirmed his stance on the county footing the bill to run water lines to Woodlands residents whose water has become contaminated

“It’s going to have to come from both sides,” he said. “We have an obligation to all citizens of Butler County. We must exercise discretion.”

Commissioner Bill McCarrier told residents at the meeting that they are approaching the issue wrong and need to organize, appoint representatives to speak on behalf of all of them, then meet with the commissioners for constructive discourse.

“We do want to help and we are trying to help,” McCarrier said.

The commissioners recently released a statement, available online at www.co.butler.pa.us, making clear their position on the Woodlands. It states: “Although providing water is not a legal obligation of county government, as commissioners, we would like to see a permanent solution to the problem.”