
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, September 15, 1993                   TAG: 9309150067
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-6   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: GREG EDWARDS STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG                                LENGTH: Medium

WATER PLAN DOESN'T INCLUDE TREATMENT PLANT

Montgomery County should fill its future water needs by buying water from others rather than building its own treatment plant, county officials were told Monday night.

The Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Virginia Tech water authority and the city of Radford are both operating their water treatment plants at half their rated capacity or less, said Chip Worley, an engineer with Anderson and Associates.

Growth in the areas served by the two water treatment plants and the county PSA is not expected to put a strain on the plants for several years, Worley said.

Worley reported on the updating of the county's 1986 Comprehensive Water and Wastewater Facilities Plan before a joint meeting of the Board of Supervisors, Public Service Authority, Planning Commission and Economic Development Commission.

While the county can rely on the water treatment facilities of others, it should consider an expansion of its sewage treatment plant at Shawsville, Worley said. Plants on the North Fork of the Roanoke River and in Riner also need to be expanded, he said.

At some point the county might want to consider running sewer from the Elliston-Shawsville area to Roanoke County, Worley said.

Among the study's recommendations for the future of the county's water and sewage systems were:

Continue with plans to connect the Shawsville-Elliston area with Christiansburg, Alleghany Springs with Shawsville and Bethel with Radford.

Connect Riner with Bethel in the near future, serving a planned new elementary school.

Connect Prices Fork with Blacksburg or, if that proves unfeasible, discuss purchasing water for Prices Fork from the Radford Arsenal.

Extend sewage lines around Radford, Blacksburg and Christiansburg, purchasing treatment services from those communities.

Extend sewage service from Lafayette to Ironto.

Among the considerations in the water portion of the study was a countywide study of private wells last year that found 48 percent were contaminated by bacteria. The two water treatment plants would provide a better and more dependable source of water, the study concludes.

The updated report recommends that the county seek grant funding for the water and sewer projects in low-income areas and from the U.S. Rural Development Agency for projects in areas where incomes are higher.

The water and sewer study will be the subject of a public meeting Monday from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Christiansburg Library community room.

by CNB