Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, June 29, 1993 TAG: 9306290222
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
But the valley localities appear to have little choice: If they don't raise sewer rates, growth may be halted because of an overloaded treatment plant.
Monday, the Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce urged Roanoke City Council to act quickly on the plant expansion. John Stroud, chamber president, said the state might impose a ban on new sewer connections if the plant is not enlarged.
The plant is owned and operated by Roanoke, but also serves Salem, Vinton, Roanoke County and Botetourt County. The four localities have contracts with Roanoke to use the plant.
As part of its campaign to make the issue a top priority, the chamber will make similar presentations to the governing bodies of the other four localities involved.
Councilman James Harvey said the plant expansion is needed, but he is worried about the effect.
"I agree with your comments, but we have heard it will mean a tremendous increase in sewer rates," Harvey said. "Is the [business community] prepared to make a donation to help pay the cost for this?"
Stroud said there had been no discussion of a donation, but the business community is willing to pay its share of the expenses.
Harvey didn't estimate the rate increase that would be needed but said officials have indicated it might be more than 50 percent.
"It will cost a lot of money, but we can't afford not to do it," Vice Mayor Beverly Fitzpatrick Jr. said.
Fitzpatrick said he, too, fears the state will ban new sewer connections, as it did in the early 1970s.
"That would mean no new houses, no new businesses and no new industries," he said.
The need for a larger sewage treatment plant has been known since 1987, but other projects have been given higher priority.
Officials from the localities have held several meetings in recent months to discuss a cost-sharing plan, but no agreements have been reached.
The negotiations between Roanoke and Roanoke County over the sewer issue have been hampered because of a dispute over a $325,000 water bill.
The county, which buys water wholesale from the city, has refused to pay the bill, saying it has been overcharged. The city has filed suit to collect the money. The dispute arose two years ago.
Mayor David Bowers said Monday he is concerned that the water case has not been resolved. "If the dispute over water had been resolved, then the sewer issue would be less murky," he said.
State regulations require localities to prepare plans for expanding their treatment plants when they reach 95 percent of capacity. The flow at the Roanoke plant has exceeded 95 percent in some recent months.
Roanoke is allowed to dump 35 million gallons of treated sewage a day into the Roanoke River. But on some days in recent months, the sewage flow has exceeded 40 million gallons.
The city has asked the state for permission to discharge 44 million gallons daily into the river, which flows into Smith Mountain Lake.
City officials say the treatment plant is designed to treat that much.
If the city had a permit for 44 million gallons, they say, it would help ease the pressure for immediately expanding the treatment plant.
State and city officials agree the plant will have to be expanded. The only questions are when - and whether interim measures will protect river quality.
by CNB