Service Authority seeks conservation from customers

By CAITLIN SULLIVAN/Staff

The Washington County Service Authority moved Monday night toward more water conservation.
In agreeing to ask customers to voluntarily conserve water, the board joined Gov. Tim Kaine and other service authorities in the region in addressing what could become a mandatory situation.
The board agreed on Monday night to ask customers to voluntarily conserve water.
“This past calendar year we’ve used about 75 percent of what we have available,” said Interim General Manager Robbie Cornett. “If this weather pattern holds up for the next four to five months…we could be faced with a serious situation and mandate water conservation.”
He said that because most people don’t adhere to voluntary mandates, the new stance shouldn’t have a financial impact on the service authority.
He also said due to vacant staff positions, no electricity rate increases, the drought and the increase in water usage the Service Authority is “doing quite well” financially.
Suggestions to conserve water include ensuring there are no leaks, limiting showers to less than five minutes, turning off the water when brushing teeth and only running dishwashers and washing machines with full loads.
Along with pinching the service authority, the drought has caused ground water to sink, leaving many wells dry. In addition, contamination contributed toward a need for a waterline project long Rich Valley and Maiden roads.
“Water in that area has turned out to be unusable,” said a resident during the meeting.
The Board voted to accept a 20-year, $1.03 million Virginia Health Department loan with an interest rate 3.05 percent - or 1 percent below the prevailing interest rate –  for the Rich Valley and Maiden waterline project.
Of the total 84 residents in the project’s area, 46 have agreed to connect to an available water line. Cornett said the project would probably go out to bid in a year and would take another eight to nine months to complete.
The Service Authority has agreed to contribute $69,000 toward the project.