CvilleWater.info

A Citizen's Guide
... to Understanding the Community Water Plan

CITIZENS FOR A SUSTAINABLE WATER PLAN
is a group of local citizens concerned about the environmental, financial, and social implications of the 50-year Community Water Plan.

We believe that there has been incomplete and misleading information about the plan. We are dedicated to helping bring factual information to the public. This website is part of our effort. We welcome your questions, interest and support.

What is the Issue?

How to insure an adequate water supply for the "Urban Service Area" - namely the city of Charlottesville and Albemarle County's "urban ring" in the event of another drought of record (like that of 2002) anytime in the next 50 years.

Can we survive a drought today?

Absolutely.
The Charlottesville-Albemarle area has an abundance of water. The Rivanna River alone could supply all of the daily water needs into the foreseeable future. With three reservoirs serving the urban area, and a decreasing demand for water, there is no threat of a water shortage today, even in a drought.

However, many residents remember with anguish the drought of 2002, for its severe water restrictions. Even though 2002 is considered as the worst in record, our community still had more than 100 days of water storage left at the time the drought ended. Furthermore, in 2002 before the drought, we were using 15% more water on average than we are today. Due to conservation technology, water demand is decreasing across the country.

How much water do we need?

RWSA PLAN:
The Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority (RWSA) commissioned a "Demand Analysis" in 2004 to project how much water the community will need in the year 2055. That study looked at data only through 2001 and disregarded the pending impact of the 1992 Energy Policy Act that mandated low-volume, high-efficiency plumbing fixtures. The 2004 study estimated a demand of 19.8 mgd, up from 11.2 mgd in 2001. Factoring in a mere 5% conservation goal, they adjusted the demand projection to 18.7 mgd by 2055.

ALTERNATIVE PLAN:
In the last decade water use in the Charlottewville-Albemarle area has decreased dramatically, despite a rising population. This is largely due to the federal Energy Policy Act of 1992 that set mandatory conservation standards for high efficiency toilets, showerheads and faucets manufactured after 1994. It is anticipated that with this bill, residential water use would ultimately decline by 39-62%. This is playing out locally, as we observe that the urban community is using 28% less water than the Demand Analysis projected. Factoring in actual water use data since 2001 - and, without considering future advances in conservation, we conservatively estimate our urban community will need no more than 14.5 mgd by 2055.

So what's the Plan?

RWSA PLAN:
RWSA and the proponents of the Community Water Plan propose to reconfigure the reservoir system from three moderately sized reservoirs to one large reservoir that will flow under I-64.
The plan includes:

Construction of a new 135 foot dam at the Ragged Mountain Natural Area for which they will clearcut 193 acres of mature forest. 135 acres will be flooded which will bring the newly expanded reservoir under
I-64 and 30 feet up its embankment on both sides.
The installation of a new 9.5-mile pipeline across the urban area outside Charlottesville to pump water uphill from the Rivanna River to fill up the new expanded RMR, (RMR has little to no natural inflow.)
Construction of a new pre-treatment plant at the SFRR to remove silt before pumping to RMR
Installation of two high lift pumps for water transfer between SFRR-RMR
Upgrade and enlarge the Observatory Water Treatment Plant.
Enlarge the South Fork Water Treatment Plant
Mitigate for 14,435 ft of stream loss and 3.5 acres of wetland loss
Mitigate for the loss of four historic structures at the Ragged Mountain Natural Area.
Eliminate direct access to the Sugar Hollow Reservoir
Allow the South Fork Rivanna Reservoir to silt in
Streamflow: Reduce minimum release to the Rivanna River from
8 mgd to 1.3 mgd; Increase release to the Moormans River from 1 mdg to 10 mgd.

ALTERNATIVE PLAN:
The Citizens for a Sustainable Water Plan propose to restore the South Fork Rivanna Reservoir to as near its original capacity as possible.

Dredge the SFRR either incrementally or all at once
Enlarge the spillway at RMR to address dam safety
Repair or replace the pipeline from Sugar Hollow Reservoir
Upgrade the Observatory Water Treatment Plant.
Update drought contingency plans to include Beaver Creek, Chris Greene Lake and Lake Albemarle
Explore the sustainable harvest of the recently discovered groundwater reserves on the eastern flank of the Blue Ridge, and another running parallel to the Southwest Mountains.

*Note little or no mitigation is required if wetlands in the SFRR are left undisturbed as anticipated.

How much will it cost?

RWSA PLAN:
Current estimates for the RWSA Community Water Plan are in the range of $150-200 million dollars.

ALTERNATIVE PLAN:
The Alternative Plan is estimated to cost less than $50 million.

RECENT RADIO SPOTS:

Richard Lloyd explains "Small Bites" on WINA 7/22/10
Betty Mooney on WINA 7/22/10
Betty Mooney on WINA 6/16/10
Listen to Dede Smith and Richard Lloyd on WINA; 6/16/10
Listen to Betty Mooney on WINA 5/26/10
Listen to Kevin Lynch on WINA 3/25/10

BREAKING NEWS

SMALL BITES: A New Look at Dredging the SFRR by Richard Lloyd

DREDGING FEASIBILITY STUDY

THE RED HERRING REPORT

Charlottesville ... we have a problem!
Red Herrings are being spawned to discourage debate about the Community Water Supply Plan. They have become so pervasive that any fair evaluation of the plan is severely compromised.

In this document is a list of what we believe are Red Herrings -- deliberate deception used to force an unsustainable water plan on the rate payers of Charlottesville/Albemarle. Citizens for a Sustainable Water Plan want to focus the public debate about the Community Water Plan on reliable facts and remove these foul fish from the discussion.

THE DEBATE OVER DREDGING: A timeline

LOOK WHO'S IN SUPPORT OF DREDGING:

Thomas Jefferson Soil and Water Conservation District
Sierra Club - Piedmont Chapter
Advocates for a Sustainable Albemarle Population
Five city neighborhood associations
William Crutchfield, Jr., a business perspective(pdf) (in Word)
William Crutchfield, Jr. calls for re-evaluation of the water supply plan

NEW POSITION
The Piedmont Chapter of the Sierra Club releases a new position

Rethinking Our Water Plan
The Piedmont Group of the Sierra Club believes that new information requires the Charlottesville/Albemarle Community to take a fresh look at our water needs for the decades ahead. Our community should consider a new water plan with different priorities that draws on the resources of our local watersheds. This plan should emphasize the following: