Wastewater

Wastewater

From Page A1

up for laying the sewer system pipes.

It’s just another $169,000 more in cost to the town which has a wallet that doesn’t have much, if anything, substantial left in case of emergencies.

Some of the repairs, if not done immediately could create a problem during construction of the wastewater collection system with a potentially catastrophic failure if an old sixinch water cast iron main from the 1930s were accidentally ruptured according to the town’s water system consultant (Environmental Systems Services, LTD of Culpeper) and the water system contractor (Country Water Systems of Culpeper.)

At a meeting last Thursday among members of the town council and contractors for the water and wastewater systems, Craig Jebson of Country Water said he had examined the old main and was concerned about a potential break during construction. “The first time this happens, it’s going to be chaos,” he said, and the entire reservoir could potentially drain into the town.

“Putting a wastewater system where an old water system exists,” said Mayor Eugene Leggett at Wednesday’s council meeting, “presents some challenges.”

Council member Jeff Benson asked the town’s water system consultant Don Hearl, vice president of ESS, at Wednesday’s meeting if the repairs were “mandatory in your professional opinion.”The response was “yes.”

At that same meeting, there was a long discussion between Steve Critzer - who had been involved in the water system upgrades in the 1990s - and Hearl about the necessity of the proposals, but in the end, Critzer acknowledged that much of the water system was not documented and mapped while he was on the council.

As a consequence, there’s no definitive way of knowing the extent of necessary repairs other than by inspecting the meters and pipes and mains said Critzer.

But Critzer also said he thought the town had “a little more time to investigate this.”

With a project already in excess of the original $4 million budget, several townsfolk and council members, including council member John Sullivan agreed it would be a shame not to make the proposed repairs (including upgrading old meters and rusty feeds from the mains) during what is an excellent opportunity while digging for the sewer lines only to have to make them - perhaps very soon - at a much greater cost in the future.

Town attorney John Bennett, however, urged council not to “spend any money on anything unless it was absolutely critical.”

“We’re right at the edge here,” said Bennett.

Asked directly by property owner and Commonwealth’s Attorney Peter Luke and . property owner and Circuit Court Clerk Diane Bruce if there were money in the budget for this, Mayor Leggett responded that “maintenance of the water system” was a line item, but he didn’t know how much.

In fact, there is $58,550 set aside for water system maintenance and repairs. There may hie money in the budget, but that money will come from the town’s general fund which