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Pittsylvania supervisors approve bottled water for Robins Court as state grant work continues
Summary
The Board of Supervisors voted 7-0 to supply bottled water to Robins Court residents after repeated complaints about dirty, low-pressure water; staff said a Virginia Department of Health grant and state procedures mean service line work could begin in July and take about 100 days.
The Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to supply bottled drinking water to residents of Robins Court while staff and state processes move forward on repairing the community’s water system.
The action came after a resident’s written petition, read to the board by Cathy Ramsey on behalf of Margaret Brackens, described “bad, bad, dirty, and lead filled water” and said a replacement tank installed years ago was removed and never returned. Ramsey read that residents have spent their own money on bottled water and house filters and called for accountability and information on grant money.
Chairman Robert M. Tucker Jr. told Ramsey that the county would provide bottled water “in the form of bottled waters to that community,” and staff would test and determine how many homes are affected. County staff explained the county had secured a $905,000 grant from the Virginia Department of Health for the project but must complete required studies, engineering, and a required advertisement period before construction can begin.
Staff estimated, subject to state approvals and procurement, that work could begin as early as July and that it might take about 100 days to deliver fresh drinking water to Robins Court once construction starts. The board then took a formal motion. Supervisor Charles Haidt moved to supply bottled water to Robins Court residents until the water line work is finished; Supervisor James Ingram seconded. The motion passed 7-0.
The board asked staff to coordinate logistics for distribution; local volunteer groups offered pallet donations of bottled water and staff agreed to coordinate with them. The action supplies an interim remedy while the VDH-funded infrastructure project proceeds under state engineering and procurement rules.
Residents and the board stressed the distinction between the temporary bottled-water measure and the longer process required for a permanent line replacement, which depends on state procedures, engineering, advertising for contractors and construction timelines.
What’s next: staff will inventory affected households, coordinate bottled-water distribution, continue required state studies and engineering, and publicly report timelines as milestones are met.
