[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6727886,"mediaKeyId","3533916-6c6bb235b6aca60f761eaf5f13c14d56","parentId",3533916,"title","Harrisonburg utilities describe \"moving target\" turbidity event; staff to optimize backwash, test chemicals and evaluate future supplies","audioSeconds",1290,"startMs",1310000,"endMs",2600000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3533916-6c6bb235b6aca60f761eaf5f13c14d56&start=1310&end=2600","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3533916-6c6bb235b6aca60f761eaf5f13c14d56/thumbnail_1310000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6727886/Virginia/Harrisonburg-utilities-describe-moving-target-turbidity-event-staff-to-optimize-backwash-test-chemicals-and-evaluate-future-supplies","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6727886-0966b5d74a384db683adc64f7d59556f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771098655&Signature=IFSmB3wwASu6Imk7KX59xgqOAQtERMDicuBjurHBil~LgGGt-92J1eMZ3ERzebtl-GZb9hkImAPO47-NWQ-Dg~~BwdnGg-76waZWwnbtwDXlDNDFSVCOiR5JrAK0Go2x9vONTRH3k4yQmIq4m8koj7s6~rtzGc5VxAYOPZwfXgoEVmHDOQzHrC6XgsaGfVNJC5SP--e1MLzZh9G5io8nRmUPb5m7f9U62SKXuZMYrwLtOEkFWf9MCwY~w6q4PoRVCK8Gr7UOPcEqQ3bC-CARpehFeOHpj4zCufTCgXmkaiM7BAv50osWCzH610SUtQJILDWFP~W3rEef0Pjvufb~Ag__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Harrisonburg","date","2025-05-27T00:00:00Z","article","City utilities staff gave council a detailed, technical account of a multi-day turbidity event that sharply increased raw-water turbidity and strained the water-treatment facility
operations.

Mike Collins (public utilities staff) told council the plant is a Class 1 facility running multiple surface-water sources and normally operates near 85% capacity. He said the May event produced turbidity readings as high as 180 NTU at the intake and that the plant
experienced shortened filter-run times (from roughly 30 hours to about 10 hours), frequent cleaning and backwash constraints that reduced net production and drew down distribution storage. \"The minute you get it solved, it's changed again,\" Collins said, characterizing the problem as a \"moving target.\" He added, \"Never would we let that come through to our citizens\" and emphasized staff halted production when necessary to protect safety.

Collins described four categories of follow-up action. Immediately, staff will try to optimize the backwash/disposal system so filter cleaning is not delayed by constrained disposal capacity. Staff also will re-engage chemical vendors and consider independent consultants and university resources to find better coagulant/alkalinity mixes and to pilot treatment combinations. Over the next year, the South Fork of the Shenandoah River supply will come online; staff said that source has different alkalinity characteristics that could improve treatability but that they have not yet run critical-period treatability tests. Longer-term, staff will accelerate planning for supplemental groundwater or quarry sources that can provide drought supply and potentially different alkalinity, and they signaled the authority will revisit the plant expansion timeline and rates impact if growth and supply needs change.

Council then considered a staff resolution to rescind the local emergency related to the event; staff said the emergency powers were not used and council voted to rescind the declaration.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Harrisonburg - City Council on 2025-05-27 7:00 PM - May 27, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","City utilities staff told council that a recent turbidity spike forced repeated filter cleaning and short runs, reduced treated-water production and drew down storage, and they described immediate and longer-term steps to reduce vulnerability.","taxTitle","Harrisonburg (Independent City), Virginia","taxId",9561,"location","Virginia","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6727883,"Council approves Softly Farm tree-planting project to meet MS4 nutrient-removal targets",926,4391000,5317000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3533916-6c6bb235b6aca60f761eaf5f13c14d56&start=4391&end=5317","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3533916-6c6bb235b6aca60f761eaf5f13c14d56/thumbnail_4391000.jpg","/articles/6727883/Virginia/Council-approves-Softly-Farm-tree-planting-project-to-meet-MS4-nutrient-removal-targets","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6727883-4edea685eac894533d23df2de17f3292/orig.mp4?Expires=1771098655&Signature=nQzXIQS8XaVdYzohF2Zn~ROd7QvwaN8grttNLhefVuXTJG6uFGBHjwHhfEK7LMwL5i-g1WSgFUwoY5Qxx8haiG2ADKAkBqqQH7URMvj8WpnHcHLl8k9-4tZR7ufpe~phZyz4W-fC9Yo0a0v0h3Re6dPdpjGJ3W2Z5KFACq-NibL54QHs86lPHdoKicu3AxT3pRbE6zWvRWZeQDH34OhZNYdL38l6~wZTBgerslFKDX~8DG28pmX5Wf3tKHGr3cVWl7fQQpoV~WIjJW-6DvlrrMVkTYC19i36paNpaAskhOVO-W8VzJKDZIhRUqJ4vKie4BPWckjmVwTh5chbylLFzg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City council approved using a portion of the city-owned Softly Farm for a large-scale tree-planting land-conversion that staff said will yield nutrient-reduction credits for the municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) permit.

Tom Hartman, Public Works director, presented the project: the plan converts roughly 96 acres of pasture and cropland to hardwood tree plantings over five planting seasons (about 30,000 trees total), with 3–4 years of follow-up maintenance and spot replanting for expected 10–15% loss. Staff said the conversion will add roughly 87 pounds per year of phosphorus removal and more than 1,300 pounds per year of nitrogen removal toward the city
TMDL obligations; staff estimated the cost-effectiveness at about $1,200 per pound of nitrogen removed (compared with $2,000–$2,500 per pound in other projects). The city will retain a forested buffer and maintain a construction-debris disposal area on the property, and the raw-water pipeline alignment already runs through the parcel.

Council moved and approved the recommendation. Staff said the project will begin contractor procurement in July with staged plantings through 2028 and that quarterly inspection and maintenance will ensure the project delivers the expected credits.","Council authorized converting part of city-owned Softly Farm to a tree-planting land-conversion to deliver nutrient-reduction credits under the MS4/TMDL program.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6727891,"Harrisonburg council adopts FY2025–26 budget, sets real-estate tax rate at $1.01; several projects approved",200,239000,439000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3533916-6c6bb235b6aca60f761eaf5f13c14d56&start=239&end=439","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3533916-6c6bb235b6aca60f761eaf5f13c14d56/thumbnail_239000.jpg","/articles/6727891/Virginia/Harrisonburg-council-adopts-FY202526-budget-sets-real-estate-tax-rate-at-101-several-projects-approved","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6727891-5fc391541105d78983d99d3337285bbf/orig.mp4?Expires=1771098655&Signature=AqIPNuM0mKOYyyG9nj4-ic~pJ~FFArTbv-NgD1VUh5KEf98vglawTsygJGKLPNEXTiXMGqi4gQAnUHpU9DJUg-9OuQWQnrlDHvcOG9Lei0bZK7yqjQnQRgqZwZn1TiJhMCrelmN32gW1KRdTKRVu3ahaz554vY2dj4NNafT6SYfDde8-oG4svq3T-MXer8ZfZQ8wJ5WokrkRqp90iVtpi4vVLept4qPmaJS32Qjtu9dQol1PRNuWEAUJrG85w9mNk0mFBT4kKUjKu1Zgn7PegE-7nMdX3z5cq5jaus4M1D7bPpEOLpnKwBZ3vHS-dkfK-Nl7wFnJekm-HPjo3NpGvQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Harrisonburg City Council set the fiscal year 2025–26 real-estate tax rate at $1.01 per $100 of assessed value and adopted the FY2025–26 appropriation ordinance at its May 27 meeting.

The tax-rate motion passed by roll call after staff noted a 5.9% increase in assessed values that triggered a state-code public hearing requirement. Council emphasized that the rate-setting action holds the city
rate steady rather than raising taxes, despite assessment growth. After the public hearing concluded with no speakers, council voted to adopt the $1.01 rate.

Council also approved the city
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) action plan for 2025. Kristen McComb, the city
CDBG program manager, told council the allocation is $512,366 plus approximately $108,600 in prior-year unspent funding, for a total of about $620,966. The selection committee recommended $140,000 for Habitat for Humanity
critical home repairs, partial funding for three city department property-improvement projects (playground replacement at Hillandale Park, an ADA sidewalk at Westover Park, and basketball goal replacements at Ralph Sampson Park), and full funding for two public-service applicants (the ARC and Meals on Wheels). Council approved the action plan by roll call.

On other formal items, council approved a Vine Street roadside memorial in line with the statewide VDOT roadside memorial program; authorized the use of a portion of city-owned Softly Farm as a stormwater best-management-practice (tree-planting land conversion) to meet MS4/TMDL nutrient-reduction obligations; and adopted supplemental capital appropriations and a reallocation to cover project cost adjustments (including funds from James Madison University and VDOT revenue-sharing and a $67,000 reallocation covering unexpected rock in a Mount Clinton Pike project). All votes were recorded by roll call.

No ballot tallies in the minutes recorded any defeats for these items; city staff noted each measure carried on affirmative roll-call votes.","Council voted to set the real-estate tax rate at $1.01 per $100 of assessed value and adopted the city\nFY2025–26 appropriation ordinance. The meeting also approved the 2025 CDBG action plan, a Vine Street roadside memorial, use of Softly Farm for a stormwater tree-planting BMP, and several capital funding adjustments.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Harrisonburg utilities describe "moving target" turbidity event; staff to optimize backwash, test chemicals and evaluate future supplies

Council approves Softly Farm tree-planting project to meet MS4 nutrient-removal targets

Harrisonburg council adopts FY2025–26 budget, sets real-estate tax rate at $1.01; several projects approved