By SHARON KILPATRICK

By SHARON KILPATRICK

Ramahannock News Staff Writer

The meeting at the beginning of the month of the Water and Sewer Authority lasted until after 10 p.m. as members wrestled with the budget and how to handle potential customers of the Sperryville sewer system who want rights to hook up reserved.

Chairman Eugene Leggett presented a $77,100 operating budget for the year, which started July 1. The budget does not call for any increase in sewer rates. The $47,400 payroll category needs to be adjusted to reflect the full cost of a second full-time employee with benefits, but offsetting that is the fact the budget showed the entire amount for the plant operator Donna Chabot, when, in fact, the school system picks up part of her salary because she also manages the sewage treatment plants at the schools.

The members agreed to increase the amount for vehicle expense because the pumper truck is expected to make weekly trips to the Remington treatment plant with septage from tanks on the system.

Member Charles K. “Pete” Estes, who worked with Mr. Leggett and Ms. Chabot preparing the budget, said that the average flow7 had been reduced at the plant from a typical 23,000 gallons per day to 13,000 as a result of Troy Jenkins’s work to reduce ground water entering the system. He said the result is that the inflow is much more acidic, requiring the use of more lime, but the lower flow means much less chlorination and dechlorination is needed. He said that will save several thousand dollars in chemical costs.

The members agreed to try to adopt the final budget next month so they will have six months under the current budget before having to adopt one for next year.

Authority members have discussed the issue of reserved sewer rights before. They are concerned that income is limited while future capacity is tied up waiting for future building. Some members believe the WSA should charge something for reserved rights. In the past custom