Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, November 9, 1994 TAG: 9411090064
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE:
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
Supervisor Ira Long, chairman of the authority, said Tuesday the PSA is considering building a sewer system because that area of the county is expected to grow.
But consultants at Blacksburg's Anderson and Associates, the firm that has helped the county plan for its water and sewer service, say it would be more economical for the industrial park to connect to Christiansburg's system.
Christiansburg's sewer system has a capacity of 3 million gallons a day, and uses 1.6 million gallons each day.
The 141-acre park is located southeast of Christiansburg's limits and lies within the town's water service area but is not in the town's sewer service area. "If it becomes our area, we can expand to take care of it," Town Manager John Lemley said. "We can accept the amount they project."
The county and town have been negotiating for about three months on connecting the industrial park to the town's water and sewer systems.
Monday, the PSA passed a resolution that gives the authority the go-ahead to apply for Farmers Home Administration funding for a sewer treatment facility of its own for the park.
It's not certain that will happen. Another negotiating meeting is set for Nov. 17.
"We're kind of at a place where we have to stop and look back," said Gary Gibson, PSA director. "We have presented a couple of proposals, and they have presented a couple of proposals, and we're at the point where neither group approves of the other proposals."
The impasse has been brought on by each locality's desire to provide the services.
"The authority would like to have both, just like [Christiansburg] would," Gibson said. The systems could be revenue generators, especially if the industrial park fills to capacity, he said.
"We don't think there should be a mixed bag. ... If we have the water in that part [of the county], then we ought to have the sewer too," Lemley said.
A sewer system would increase the industrial park's cost, projected during the summer to be $9 million, by about $500,000, Gibson estimated.
Anderson and Associates consultants said the site for the industrial park was chosen at Falling Branch in part because of its proximity to Christiansburg.
"If you got a big [sewage treatment] plant and it's at half capacity, you should utilize it," said Cellell Dalton, a project manager of the firm.
"It's a real opportunity for the town and the county to work together for a win-win situation," said Chip Worley, executive vice president.
Long said sewer service could help open that area of the county to development.
"It's the PSA's responsibility to provide service to the people, and this will be an area that will expand if the service is out there."
Dalton said early in the planning for the industrial park that a separate sewer system had been considered, but "it was pretty quickly dismissed because of the proximity and capacity of the town of Christiansburg sewage treatment plant."
The idea was revived at the urging of the county, he said.
"I think there's a lot of work to be done if that indeed is to happen," Dalton said.
by CNB