Amherst County Service Authority addresses discolored-water complaints, permit review and staffing changes

The Amherst County Service Authority on Feb. 4 reviewed recent discolored-water complaints on Isaac Walton Road and Kenmore Farms Road, updates on several infrastructure projects and permits, and staffing changes, while approving the meeting agenda and consent items by voice vote.

Authority staff reported that sediment likely stirred by a past hydrant scouring event moved through the system after crews were unable to flush lines immediately because of extreme cold. Staff said they have been opening hydrants, flushing lines and working with affected customers to run water through their homes and clear discolored water. The authority provides a standard credit equal to 100 cubic feet of water to customers who flush and reports adjustments will be made if usage shows a larger volume than that credit covers.

The authority flagged a recurring concern on Kenmore Farms Road, where past use of hydrants by a nearby landfill to fill tanker trucks and for road cleaning has previously correlated with water-quality complaints. Staff said the landfill will be encouraged to obtain water from the authority’s treatment plant directly when needed so the authority can better isolate potential sources.

In staffing updates, authority staff reported three recent departures — a wastewater utility worker, a water operator level 2 and a mechanic apprentice — and said a verbally accepted offer has been extended for a water operator level 2 with onboarding hoped for by March 1. The authority noted paperwork was still pending but described the candidate as “very qualified.”

On planning and finance, staff said a cash-account date typo in the draft financials (12/31/2024) was corrected and that year-to-date revenues are about 53% and expenses reported at 35% (rising to 47% after depreciation is entered). Staff said they are coordinating the financial figures with Davenport and will fold the numbers into an infrastructure master plan and a forthcoming financial master plan to prioritize projects.

Staff gave multiple project and permit updates: the authority closed a LEAP principal-forgiveness loan funding package on Jan. 3; Gateway Project developers reduced a building footprint after a site-size review, delaying the schedule by several weeks; invoices for the South Madison Heights infrastructure preliminary engineering report (PER) have been submitted to the Planning District Commission for reimbursement; and the authority responded to VDOT comments on Campbell Street sewer design.

Permitting issues drew particular attention. The authority said its Virginia Water Protection (VWP) withdrawal permit, which expires May 7, was originally submitted for a routine renewal but is now being evaluated by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) as effectively a new withdrawal, requiring substantially more work. Authority staff reported working with consultant Hurt & Proffitt and DEQ staff to reformat and bookmark submitted materials so DEQ reviewers can locate required data; staff described earlier PDF rendering problems that made large portions of their submission hard to read. Staff expressed cautious optimism but characterized the permit process as requiring “significant additional work.”

Separately, the authority said it received a VPDS inspection letter for both facilities and that this was the third time the presenter had received DEQ inspection letters “with no comments,” noting staff performance. The authority also reported receiving an updated VPDS permit for the West Bridal Wastewater Treatment Plant that included increased ammonia limits staff had anticipated.

Staff summarized relevant state legislation under consideration that could affect operations: a Senate bill mentioned during the meeting would prohibit withdrawing water in one river basin and transferring it to another; the presenter said that bill advanced to the Senate Appropriations Committee and was unlikely to move further before crossover day. Staff also discussed a pair of bills (referenced as House Bill 2407 and Senate Bill 1408 during the meeting) that would require reporting contaminant releases or equipment failures that could impact customer service to the Virginia Department of Health within six hours; staff said the original language would have overwhelmed VDH and that trade associations had helped “massage” the bills to a more workable form. Staff cited a high-profile contamination event at Rapidan Service Authority last summer as part of the impetus for the reporting requirement.

The authority’s presenter said they had met with Delegate Griffin and Senator Deeds and planned to travel to Washington, D.C., to meet with U.S. Sen. Mark Warner’s office and other congressional staff (the transcript referenced meetings with Sen. Tim Kaine and Rep. Bob Good or Rep. Morgan Griffith; the presenter did not provide a complete list of offices). The presenter said these meetings aim to discuss water funding and the potential costs of upcoming regulations such as PFAS monitoring and treatment, particularly for smaller utilities.

Board business was otherwise routine: the meeting opened with approval of the agenda and later approved the consent agenda, which included draft minutes and the financial report. No members of the public spoke during the citizen-comment period. The meeting concluded after a brief members’ segment and a motion to adjourn.

Votes at a glance: the agenda and the consent agenda were approved by voice vote (no opposing votes recorded); a motion to adjourn passed by voice vote.

The authority said it will continue to coordinate with DEQ on the VWP submission, finalize master-plan appendices and complete onboarding paperwork for the new water operator when available.