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The mood switched from depression to cautious optimism at the Rappahannock Water and Sewer Authority’s meeting last week as the members assessed chances of success in the next round of block grant funding.
Three weeks ago, the Water and Sewer Authority (WSA) learned that the county’s $478,193 application for a community development
block ^ grant for Sper\mJJP,s^ sewer system had been denied. Then the following week, in a local example of the domino effect, the $1.4 million construction grant from the State Water Control Board (SWCB) for the village’s sewage disposal project was deferred for funding in fiscal year 1983.
Construction of the longdelayed solution to Sperryville's pollution problem depended on securing both grants. With just the SWCB’s $1.4 million, monthly user fees would have been higher than low and moderate income families in the service area could afford. So the Water Control Board made its grant contingent upon award of the $478,193 block grant necessary to bring monthly sewer bills down to the $10-$ 12 range.
Six months ago, when Rappahannock's bock grant odds looked favorable, the county supervisors agreed to guarantee funds for engineering work on the sewer system’s Final design with the understanding that the local money would be repaid after the block grant was awarded. Denial of the grant left the WSA slightly over $20,000 in debt to Rappahannock’s general fund, the only resources for reimbursement either sale of WSA property designated as a site for the sewage treatment plant, issuance of bonds or success with a second block grant application.
The consensus that came after a round of meetings in Richmond two weeks ago between the WSA members, the Health Department, SWCB and Department of Housing and Community Development is that the outlook is good for Rappahannock to be one of the winners in August when awards for the next block
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