It's easy to sympathize with the plight of Petrolia residents who have been victimized by waterline leaks stemming from the new Petroleum Valley Regional Water Authority system.

The new system's pressure has been too much for many of the old service lines that served the community under the former Petrolia system.

Service lines carry water from main waterlines into people's homes.

Understandably, many people are angry and have become impatient in connection with the "growing pains" emanating from use of the new system. Anyone who has been affected by a shutdown of water service due to a leak understands the frustration Petrolia residents currently are experiencing much too often.

The inability to take a shower, wash clothes and dishes, and flush the toilet can affect anyone's mood and attitude.

But Petrolia residents have a good reason for exercising patience and understanding toward those responsible for fixing the problems: Under their new water system project, which came about through the state Department of Environmental Protection in response to groundwater contamination from old hazardous waste sites, they won't have to pay for replacement of the leaking lines. Government funds will pay the replacement bill.

Normally, it is water customers' responsibility to repair or replace their lines when leaks occur — and that cost can be sizable.

At the same time, some Petrolia residents have complained about not being eligible for free bottled water when water service disruptions occur. That attitude is unreasonable amid the reality of having been given a new water system — despite the current problems.

The state's taxpayers footed the approximately $1 million bill of providing free water to the Petrolia area between the time the contamination was discovered and when homes were hooked up to the new system. Taxpayers statewide should not have that responsibility indefinitely.

The state's decision to cut off the free water when homes were hooked up to the new system was the right action, despite the lingering problems affecting only a small portion of the authority's approximately 900 customers.

When the new water system's problems finally are resolved, customers of the new system will own an asset that will increase property values as well as ensure the convenience of reliable water service for decades to come.

In hindsight, the inconveniences of this transitional era will not be regarded as negatively as they currently are being judged.