Yet again, the area’s long-range water supply plan is facing new delays.
The plan, meant to provide enough water for the City of Charlottesville and urban Albemarle County until 2055, involves two major construction components: a taller dam at the Ragged Mountain Reservoir and a new pipeline that connects the Ragged Mountain Reservoir to the South Fork Reservoir.
After reaffirming its commitment to the water supply plan in May, City Council wants consultants or a “team of experts” to re-examine virtually all elements of the plan. At the end of its regular meeting last week, Council issued a resolution that calls for a slew of studies to be conducted before the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority (RWSA) moves forward with construction of a new dam at the Ragged Mountain Reservoir.
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The city wants a team of experts to review the pipeline before the new Ragged Mountain dam is built. |
Specifically, Council asked that experts review plans for the Ragged Mountain dam; review plans for the pipeline between Ragged Mountain and South Fork reservoirs; student dredging the South Fork Reservoir; and review water demand projections that the plan is predicated upon. Council also wants a cost estimate for replacing the Sugar Hollow pipeline, an aging gravity-powered line that transports water from Sugar Hollow to Ragged Mountain.
RWSA is already moving on hiring a panel of experts to review the dam design. It’s unclear how much all of the proposed studies would cost. RWSA has until 2011 to replace the dam, which is in danger of failure in the event of a catastrophic flood.
The city’s action has thrown the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors and the Albemarle County Service Authority into tizzies. At its meeting last week, supervisors debated whether to send Council their own resolution, but ended up opting to move for a joint meeting as soon as possible.
“It doesn’t really help to have the separate entities firing out resolutions which substantially alter the obligations of everyone involved,” said Supervisor Dennis Rooker, according to Charlottesville Tomorrow.
The joint meeting has yet to be scheduled by press time.
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