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King George Service Authority approves consultant change order to support four groundwater withdrawal permit renewals
Summary
The Service Authority approved a change order to secure consultant support for complex groundwater withdrawal permit renewals affecting four of the authority’s water systems; the board authorized using Service Authority operating funds to cover the cost and noted DEQ permit fees also apply.
The King George County Service Authority voted March 3 to approve a change order to speed preparation of four Department of Environmental Quality groundwater withdrawal permit renewal applications affecting several of the authority’s water systems.
General Manager Mr. Hamilton told the board the state has moved to 15‑year water withdrawal permits and the renewal packages for the Oakland Park, Fairview Beach/Battoomeac Landing, Dublin/Owens and St. Paul’s Church systems require extensive historical water audits, well‑driller reports and other technical work. He said the deadline for filing applications is June 3 and that the level of technical support requested in DEQ’s templates exceeded the staff capacity available in the short time window.
“Once I became aware of this in January, I concluded we did not have the staff resources to complete the applications on time,” Mr. Hamilton said, asking the board to approve a contract change order to retain the authority’s consultant to prepare the submissions and respond to DEQ follow‑up. He also noted DEQ charges an application fee of $9,000 per permit.
Board discussion focused on timing and funding. Several supervisors urged viewing the permits as a cost of doing business given the role of water capacity in development and economic growth. Others urged splitting the cost or seeking contributions from economic development partners. The board ultimately approved the change order and separately approved that funding come from the Service Authority operating budget.
The motion was seconded and passed by roll call; the meeting record shows a unanimous recorded vote. Mr. Hamilton said staff would pursue the technical work immediately and try to recover portions of the cost from planning or economic development partners where appropriate.
What this means: The authority will move forward with a technical package to DEQ that will include water‑use justifications, groundwater modeling and alternative‑source analyses intended to protect existing customers and secure a 15‑year permit schedule. The permits, when issued, will govern withdrawals effective in 2027 and shape water availability for future development.
