Mathews supervisors on Tuesday night voted to rejoin the Middle Peninsula Regional Water Supply Plan. The decision came after yet another contentious debate over the matter.

Last month, the board voted 3-2 not to participate in the DEQ-mandated 2018 update to the existing Water Supply Plan under an agreement with the Middle Peninsula Planning District Commission. According to Mathews County Administrator Mindy Conner, that left the county with the responsibility of coming up with its own individual plan, which a local citizens group led by Mathews resident Carol Bova had offered to do.

Tuesday’s board meeting included a resolution drafted by the county to appoint five members to a committee charged with developing a plan, along with a letter from DEQ outlining the compliance items the plan would have to meet. In addition, members of the committee would have to comply with FOIA requirements for public meetings and Local Government Conflict of Interest Act requirements for financ...