Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, February 4, 1993 TAG: 9302040435
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: W-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: CHARLES STEBBINS STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NEW CASTLE LENGTH: Medium
UTILITY AUTHORITY MAY SHARE CRAIG SCHOOLS' WATER SYSTEM
The Craig County school system may join forces with the Craig-New Castle Public Service Authority to help upgrade the water system for the New Castle area.The School Board Tuesday said it would let the authority use a board-owned well if the authority gets a state grant to expand and improve the water system.
School Superintendent Dallas Helems told the board the authority, which has one well pumping at near capacity, needs a bigger water supply to qualify for the grant from the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development.
A well that serves Craig County High and McCleary Elementary schools has a volume of 50 gallons per minute, more than the schools need, Helems said.
If the grant is approved, the authority would assume ownership of the School Board's well and take over its operation and maintenance, Helems said.
Also, the authority's well would become a backup in the event of a failure of the school's well, said James Cady, School Board chairman.
In other action, the board:
Agreed to negotiate a sale with the owner of land adjoining the Craig County High School athletic field. The school wants to expand the baseball field.
Received preliminary budget figures from Helems, who said the state's school allotments will not be known until near the end of this month.
Heard from Helems that an underground fuel tank at the high school probably will not have to be removed. Latest soil samples from around the tank did not contain excessive amounts of fuel, which seem to indicate that the tank is not leaking, he said.
The underground tank is being replaced with an above-ground tank.