Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, November 10, 1995 TAG: 9511100063
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: CLAYTON BRADDOCK SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES
DATELINE: PEARISBURG LENGTH: Medium
A handful of residents turned out Wednesday to let the board know about their concerns with the county's continuing plans for a new water system.
The residents, who live in the Ram-Wayside area between Narrows and Rich Creek, make do on Social Security or other limited incomes.
"It'll have to be water or food," one woman said quietly. "I can't afford it."
"Why do you charge so much for a water meter?" a man asked.
Water is a growing concern in rural and mountainous areas where wells, cisterns and springs are slowly being replaced by water systems serving the larger residential areas. Other areas of western Virginia face expensive renovations of replacement of water treatment plants. Many populations also are concerned about health conditions caused by older or inadequate water systems.
County Supervisor George Hedrick told the residents that he feared the eventual shut down by health departments of some wells or springs, long used by people living in this area.
The county has spent the past few years working on a series of projects leading to new water systems. One of these projects, in the Maybrook area, will be finished in the next year or so. But the county already has water customers for the Hoges Chapel system it purchased in April.
To prepare for the current customers and new ones, the board approved a new water service policy on Wednesday. A first draft of the policy, which establishes guidelines for a unified water system, including specified water mains, subscribers, connections and fees and more, was adopted in August.
The board also approved two ordinances.
One is a mandatory hook-up policy, that requires customers within 300 feet of a county or Public Service Authority water main to hook into it if their property abuts the waterline, or pay a non-user fee.
The other ordinance outlaws cross connections, a situation where there is contact between two different supplies of water, to protect public health.
Meanwhile on Wednesday, board members had mixed reactions to this week's election results.
"The people wanted change," said Herbert "Hub" Brown, who had served on the board for four terms.
He was beaten by Larry A. Blankenship of Wolf Creek.
Still smiling was Jay Williams, who won re-election. "I didn't vote for most of the changes" that led to public concerns, such as changes in solid waste collection.
by CNB