South Fork Rivanna Reservoir

Recent Articles
State to Assess Area's Water Supply Alternative (Daily Progress, Oct. 2, 2009)
"Our Water, Our Future (6-part Series)" (Charlottesville Tomorrow, July 2009)

The current discussions regarding the community's 50-year water supply plan have raised many questions about the environmental impacts and overall cost of the current water supply plan. After a lengthy public process, that plan was endorsed in 2006 by city and county elected officials and as required, state and federal permits have been acquired for the plan's primary components. One of those key components, the new Ragged Mountain Dam, is currently being reevaluated due to unanticipated cost increases necessary to address some recently identified geological issues. Estimates to resolve these problems range between [roughly] $20 and $30-million in addition to the original estimate of [roughly] $43-million to construct the new dam.

PEC acknowledges that the circumstances at Ragged Mountain may require some further review of the existing plan, but remains confident that the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority (RWSA), the Albemarle County Service Authority, and the City of Charlottesville are on the right track with their ongoing analysis of the dam and with the implementation of the adopted plan. PEC is also hopeful that these plans will turn into action over the next year.