House fire prompts review after reports of black water and low hydrant flows; EPA inspection underway

The Amherst County Service Authority discussed a house fire at 238 Mormon Drive that exposed water quality and capacity problems in part of the distribution system.

The director reported that firefighters arriving around 2:30 a.m. found "manganese...black coming out" of the hydrant and that crews experienced insufficient flows at the dead‑end line. "The report showed that Mormon Drive should have provided over 700 gallons a minute," the director said, and staff plan to "go out and flow it ourselves with a pitometer" to confirm field conditions and determine whether valves, closed positions or other distribution issues caused low delivery.

Board members pressed about hydrant flushing frequency and the authority's directional‑flushing program. Speaker 6 said hydrants are difficult to operate and that the authority must balance flushing (which can cause temporary discoloration) against the need to prevent low flows during emergencies.

The director also reported that EPA inspectors were conducting a spot inspection of the system as part of an initiative targeting systems serving more than 10,000 people; the team reviewed cybersecurity and emergency response plans and will issue a report in 60–90 days. The board was told the authority had received a $40,000 LEAP grant reimbursement and expected a pending $290,000 reimbursement for phase 1 of the James River stabilization project.

Next steps: Staff will perform pitometer hydrant flows, investigate valve alignments and flushing practices, work with emergency services on system maps and response coordination, and report findings to the board. The EPA report is expected within 60–90 days.