First Proposal in for Water Pipeline

Fluvanna County:

“The James River Water Authority (JRWA) announced its receipt of an unsolicited PPEA proposal to construct a utility system and part of a water pipeline in Fluvanna County on Mar. 7. The Public-Private Educational Facilities and Infrastructure Act of 2002, from which the PPEA proposal draws its name, allows agencies, institutions, and localities to form partnerships with the private sector and work together to complete major projects, according to the website of Virginia Information Technologies Agency.

The proposal was submitted by Faulconer Construction Co., Inc., Timmons Group, and teaming partner MEB General Contractors, to the JRWA, which is comprised of three members from Fluvanna, three from Louisa, and the Louisa County Water Authority. As stated in the inter-jurisdictional agreement passed by the Fluvanna County Board of Supervisors last Sept. 18, the JRWA will construct both an intake facility at the James River and a pipeline, ending in a junction, roughly to Rt. 6. This PPEA proposal seeks permission to do just that…

The proposal suggests the system will be allowed by its withdrawal permit to take about 2.85 million gallons per day (GPD) from the James River. Nevertheless, the intake facility will be sized to handle the maximum withdrawal allowed by law, which is 5.7 million GPD. Not included in the public portion of the proposal is the anticipated time frame for the undertaking or its expected cost. Fluvanna and Louisa Counties will equally split the cost of construction, which at one time was estimated to be around $3.5 million, and may since have increased.”

~ Writes Christina Dimeo Guseman of the Fluvanna Review

Click here to learn more
Click here for the James River Water Authority Website

Debate Over Lorton Landfill Continues at Public Hearing

Fairfax County:

“The debate over the future of the Lorton landfill continued as community members commented before the Fairfax County Planning Commission at a public hearing on Feb. 27. Over 50 people signed up to speak on the EnviroSolutions application to extend landfill operations until 2040, with the meeting going into the early hours of the morning.

EnviroSolutions, who owns the Lorton landfill, is applying for permission to widen the landfill and continue operations until 2040. EnviroSolutions’ proposed green energy triangle at the site of the landfill, which includes the development of geothermal energy, three wind turbines, and solar panels, was a major topic at the hearing.

Supporters cited the green energy as being beneficial for the county, as well as EnviroSolutions’ commitment to providing the community with $18 million, given out in increments over the course of two decades between 2019 and 2040. Jim Corcoran, president and CEO of the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce, which endorses the EnviroSolutions application to extend the landfill, said that a green energy triangle will enhance the county’s reputation.”

~Writes Janelle Germanos of The Connection

Click here to learn more

Service Authority moves forward with water program

Nelson County:

“The Nelson County Service Authority is approaching a new stage in the process of implementing a program that will help protect the public water supply from potential backflow hazards and drinking water contamination. Called a cross-connection and backflow prevention program, its implementation is a requirement of the Virginia Department of Health.

‘It’s all in the name of public safety and protecting our water supply,’ said George Miller, executive director of authority. According to the department of health, a cross connection is an actual or potential link between a drinking water system and any source of contamination. Backflow is the reversed flow of contaminated or other liquids into a drinking water system.

Miller said the implementation process was started about two years ago when he was directed to go to Albemarle County to check out its successful program. Now the authority is getting ready to survey certain customers in the distribution system to gather information on what is in place and what might need to be installed for the program.”

~Writes Katherine Lacaze of Nelson County Times

Click here to learn more

Bedford Weaving drops lawsuit to block SML water project

Bedford County:

“A Bedford business is withdrawing a lawsuit filed last month seeking to halt construction on a massive project to pipe water from Smith Mountain Lake to Bedford and Forest. Bedford Weaving filed an injunction Jan. 7 against the Bedford Regional Water Authority in the county’s Circuit Court. The injunction claimed the entity’s creation as a merged system of the city of Bedford’s water and sewer department and Bedford County Public Service Authority did not properly specify the project as called for in the Virginia Water and Waste Act.

Kevin Mottley, a Richmond attorney representing Bedford Weaving, filed a motion for a non-suit Friday. When reached Monday, he did not address the reason for dismissal or comment further. ‘We’re dropping the suit,’ Mottley said. ‘It is what it is.’ Bedford Weaving, a company with 115 employees, claimed in the suit the project would increase rates and provide treated water from Smith Mountain Lake that could have ‘significantly greater hardness,’ leading to operational problems. The company was a customer for years of the former city and was folded into the BRWA customer base when the city reverted to a town last year.

Sam Darby, attorney for the authority, argued in a Jan. 24 response seeking to dismiss the case that the authority is granted ‘broad powers’ in undertaking projects beyond those specified in articles of incorporation and added the Smith Mountain Lake plan would not cause ‘irreparable harm’ to the company. Megan Rapp, authority spokeswoman, said Monday the non-suit motion does not come as a surprise. She said BRWA Chairman Elmer Hodge and another board member had met recently with Bedford Weaving leaders to alleviate concerns.”

~ Writes Justin Faulconer of The (Lynchburg) News & Advance

Click here to learn more

Mount Jackson moves forward on water project

Town of Mount Jackson:

“Mount Jackson embarked on a project that officials say should improve water quality and help the town prepare for the future. Town Council recently approved a contract with Richmond-based firm Kreye Blankenship Inc. to design and build a facility that would treat the water coming from three of its four municipal wells. Council's action comes about two years after a consultant's report recommended the town take this course.

Town Manager Kevin Fauber said Thursday the firm estimates the project would take about 20 weeks to design the project. The town has not yet received an estimate on when the firm would complete the construction, Fauber said. ‘We would have to coordinate construction so that it wouldn't interfere with our system,’ Fauber said.

The $787,000 project also aims to address problems seen in the water Mount Jackson draws from its municipal wells, Fauber said…Mount Jackson may not need to raise water rates to help pay for the loan the town received that covers more than half of the project cost, Fauber said. Mount Jackson provides drinking water to customers in town and Shenandoah County under a health department permit. The town brought two of its newer wells online in the past two years.”

~Writes Alex Bridges of the NV Daily

Click here to learn more

Isle of Wight Board of Supervisors approves sewer regionalization proposal

Isle of Wight:

“The Isle of Wight Board of Supervisors voted unanimously for the county to join with 13 other localities in a regional approach to sewer upgrades at a meeting on Thursday. The measure, which has the support of most of Hampton Roads' localities, is expected to save the county $1 million during the next 10 years, according to documents attached to the agenda for Thursday's meeting.

The Environmental Protection Agency has mandated repairs to the area's sewer system to prevent overflow during heavy rain. A regional sewer authority, the Hampton Roads Sanitation District, says it can cut costs if localities empower it to take a regional approach to the overhaul, saving the region as much as $1 billion, but only if all 14 localities are on board.

Frank Haltom, Isle of Wight's director of general services, told the board Thursday that approving the partnership would be a smart move, especially for the wallets of county residents.”

~ Writes Ryan Murphy of the Daily Press

Click here to learn more

Click here to learn more about the Hampton Roads Sanitation District

Mount Jackson moving forward with water plant

Shenandoah County:

“Mount Jackson is moving forward with a project to construct a water treatment plant that would add two existing wells to the town’s water system. The project cost is $787,200. It is being paid with a $432,960 30-year loan at 2.5 percent interest from the Health Department’s office of drinking water, plus principal forgiveness, basically a grant, of $354,240.

During its regular meeting Tuesday (Feb. 11), the Mount Jackson Town Council approved an engineering design contract with Kreye Blankenship, Inc., of $73,000 for the project. ‘This project would bring the two wells on line,’ said Kevin Fauber, town manager. ‘Water from the wells would be treated through construction of small treatment plant.’

One well has somewhat high nitrate levels and the other, located in a mountainous area, contains considerable iron, he added. Mount Jackson currently uses four wells, said Fauber. When complete, this project will increase the total number of wells to six, adding two wells to the overall waterworks for the town of 2,000 people.”

~ Writes Jonathon Shacat of The Shenandoah Valley-Herald

Click here for the link