Control of the expansion of central water systems in Middlesex County by the Middlesex County Water Authority (MCWA) will go before the public at a public hearing on Tuesday, May 5, at 7 p.m. in the Middlesex County Historic Courthouse building in Saluda.
A proposed ordinance would establish an exclusive water service area by the Middlesex County Board of Supervisors (MCBS), excluding the Town of Urbanna and certain existing areas already served with central water. The MCWA area would encompass all of the 40-mile long Middlesex County currently unserved by public central water systems — from Laneview to Deltaville — and areas currently being served by MCWA.
The proposed ordinance states:
- MCBS desires to have Middlesex County be declared an exclusive water service district of the MCWA in order to maintain local control over a valuable resource, and to support the long-term sustainability and operational continuity of the authority, including the authority’s ability to plan, finance, operate, maintain, repair, and replace public water facilities and to provide reliable water service to residents and other users.
- Supervisors have determined that an exclusive water service district supports the county’s comprehensive plan, land use policies, and growth management objectives by aligning public water service with planned development patterns, local authority and infrastructure capacity.
- MCBS recognizes that a centralized and exclusive public water service system enhances public health protection, fire suppression capability, and emergency response readiness, and ensures consistent water quality and service standards for county residents.
- MCBS has determined that adoption of this ordinance is in the best interest of the residents of Middlesex County.
Exclusive service area designated
The exclusive proposed MCWA water service district will include “all of the unincorporated areas of Middlesex,” as it presently exists or may hereafter be modified.
The Town of Urbanna, along with any area or property located outside of town boundaries that is currently served by the town; and any other future “incorporated towns” are excluded. Also, excluded is the current service area of Aqua Virginia Inc., subsidiary of Essential Utilities Inc., which currently serves the area within the unincorporated village of Saluda.
The ordinance states, MCWA will be the exclusive service area of all other areas in the county and “other entities are prohibited from providing water services and systems within (the county) without the express written permission of the authority and in accordance with the rules and regulations of the authority.”
The ordinance also states that, “No facility of any provider of public water, including the authority, shall be constructed, established or authorized unless it is a feature of the general or approximate location, character, and extent of which is shown or described in the Middlesex County comprehensive plan or element thereof, or is in substantial accord with such plan.”
It continues, “If a service area is designated on the plan for a provider of public water, the provider may establish or expand its services and provide services to any person(s) in the service area. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, routine service extensions of the authority’s system in accordance with the authority’s requirements and regulations are hereby authorized.”
Middlesex supervisors may from time to time designate in its comprehensive plan or an element thereof, areas which may be served by other water providers notwithstanding this designation. This ordinance — specifically this provision — shall not be construed to impair any vested right.”
