Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, June 23, 1990 TAG: 9006220491
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: KIM SUNDERLAND NEW RIVER VALLEY BUREAU
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
The homeowners living in the 70 houses that make up Viewland subdivision are dependent on the system and deal with daily aggravations of low water pressure, outages and, some days, muddy water.
They also have to worry about the market value of a house that has no reliable water service.
"Everyone knew when they moved here it was a community well," said Lana Criner, a 6-year resident of the subdivision on Virginia 666 two miles west of Christiansburg. "But no one knew there were problems."
Water is supplied by Broadview Water Works Inc., a company owned and maintained by Robert and Thomas Poff, who developed Viewland 15 years ago.
The development company, Poff Construction, originally owned and operated the water system but is now in bankruptcy. Since Poff Construction can no longer maintain it because of cash-flow problems, the two brothers have had to take over running the system themselves.
"It isn't our high priority," said Robert Poff, vice president of Broadview.
Poff would like the residents to buy the system from him, but they don't want it.
"They could operate it cheaper than us or any other corporation," Poff said.
They first asked the residents in February to buy the system for $160,000 but have since dropped the price to $60,000, according to William Dougherty, a homeowner since 1987.
According to state regulations, the Poffs have the legal responsibility for running and maintaining the system.
"We don't want to discuss a purchase situation," said Dougherty. "The residents don't want it."
"We're not educated to run a public utility," said Criner.
Residents formed a committee and sent complaints to state, federal and local agencies.
They also asked the county Public Service Authority to operate and maintain the system, but that isn't a possibility unless the system is abandoned, which Poff said won't happen.
"The residents approached us for advice, consultation and a takeover," said Gary Gibson, the Public Service Authority's utilities director. "But we're not considering anything at this point."
Gibson inspected the system and made a list of needed modifications, which include cosmetic and health-related upgrades.
The Viewland homeowners just want the system to be properly maintained.
"We need to make them [the owners] bring Broadview up to specific standards," said Charles Kemp, a resident and retired welder, pipe fitter and plumber.
Kemp inspected the system himself, listing a number of solutions such as rewiring, adding another well, installing a float-level switch and putting in 6-inch water lines instead of the smaller ones that now exist.
One state official said the state Department of Health doesn't take over systems like Broadview; it only monitors health and environmental concerns.
And since Broadview does not consistently violate health regulations, the chemical and bacteriological concerns are a higher priority than operating problems, said Evans H. Massie, compliance officer with the state Health Department.
Since March, residents have been without water more than 10 times, some outages lasting more than 24 hours.
The State Corporation Commission, which oversees the utility, is investigating the complaints through its energy division, said Ken Schrad, SCC spokesman.
"This is an open case and we're just waiting on a recommendation," Schrad said.
Said Poff, "Whoever ends up running the system will have problems. It's typical of small systems."
by CNB