Our Future Water Supply
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Charlottesville Tomorrow seeks a safe and sufficient water supply that benefits the entire community and meets our long-term needs.
The latest news about water supply issues can be found both on the Charlottesville Tomorrow Weblog and on our local news blog. |
 On April 18, 2006, the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority (RWSA) unveiled their preferred alternative for the community’s 50-year water supply plan. Their recommendation is to build a larger dam at the Ragged Mountain Reservoir, ultimately raising the water pool by 45 vertical feet, and to build a pipeline connecting this expanded reservoir to the South Fork Rivanna Reservoir. As of September 13, 2007, this system will cost an estimated $142.1 million, including the addition of improved water treatment facilities. When implemented, the plan would allow additional storage and treatment of water for the urban water supply for times of drought and for needs required by projected population growth.
In June 2006, this water supply plan was approved by Charlottesville City Council and the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors. The RWSA has submitted their permit request for this project to the U.S. Corps of Engineers and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. An environmental mitigation plan has also been submitted to address the impact on about 3 acres of wetlands and 14,500 linear feet of streams that will be flooded around the Ragged Mountain Reservoir. RWSA has begun a community discussion to work out the financing details, the construction phasing plan, and the pipeline route.
The pipeline alternative not receiving the community's support was to utilize the James River, a water source originating outside the local watershed. In his public announcement, RWSA Executive Director, Thomas Frederick stated, "You told us many ways, many times, that you wanted to stay within the watershed. To stay within the areas where the land use is controlled by the local officials, and that's what this alternative provides to you."
This “Ragged Mountain Reservoir Alternative,” or Charlottesville Pipeline, would be built in phases during the next 15-20 years. The first priority will be to address the safety of the existing Ragged Mountain Dam by starting construction of the replacement dam. This would be followed by an upgrade of the Observatory Hill water treatment facility.
 The most expensive aspect of this project is the pipeline connecting the reservoirs which is expected to cost $55.9 million (detailed map at left, click for larger image). RWSA would like to begin the pipeline construction process as early as possible once financing options are finalized. Much of the northern portion of the pipeline’s path is over existing roads or land acquired by VDOT in the right-of-way for the Western US 29 bypass project. The southern portion is largely on land owned by the University of Virginia.
In September 2005, Charlottesville Tomorrow published the analysis below of the two major water supply pipeline options, a pipeline to the James River and a Charlottesville Pipeline connecting existing reservoirs and collecting water almost entirely from within Albemarle County. After reviewing this research, 100% of the members of the public that took action via the Charlottesville Tomorrow website and who expressed a pipeline preference indicated they preferred the Charlottesville Pipeline over the James River Pipeline. Charlottesville Tomorrow did not take a position on a preferred pipeline.
Further, in that analysis, Charlottesville Tomorrow made the argument that either pipeline would have to include a water treatment plant upgrade as well as an expanded Ragged Mountain Reservoir. In September 2005, Charlottesville Tomorrow estimated the costs of a Charlottesville pipeline solution at about $105 million. This cost estimate was based on a 10 mile 18” diameter pipeline. The RWSA has estimated the distance would be 9.5 miles for a proposed 36” pipeline.
Charlottesville Tomorrow's September 2005 Water Supply Analysis
What's At Stake | Proposals & Costs |
Advantages & Disadvantages | Related Links
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Click image for larger version of the water supply options map. |
What's At Stake [Return to Top]
The Charlottesville-Albemarle community will soon decide on a long-term water supply plan to serve an increasing population and to prepare for the next major drought.
The water supply decision is important to all residents, whether they are on a private well or on public water in their homes. Many places we live, work, shop, and attend school receive public water. The final solution will easily be a minimum $100 million investment. We need a sufficient supply of safe drinking water for all our residents. While we are NOT running out of water, we DO need to invest in greater reservoir capacity to store water for times of drought.
Today, we are fortunate to be one of the few communities in Virginia that receives almost all of its municipal water supply from sources within its own boundaries. The rain water that falls in Western Albemarle is collected in several reservoirs that service our community's needs. The Town of Scottsville is positioned similarly with its own watershed and reservoir under local control.
Information on Water Supply Options [Return to Top]
There are two major proposals still under consideration by our elected officials and the Rivanna Water & Sewer Authority (RWSA): 1) A new “Charlottesville Pipeline” between our existing reservoirs; and 2) a new pipeline to the James River. Both options will require the expansion of the Ragged Mountain Reservoir. Several other proposals have been reviewed and ruled out by RWSA and regulators. While there is much work remaining to be done by RWSA to calculate the true costs of the water supply options, there is enough preliminary data from their consulting firm, Gannett Fleming, to allow for a rough estimate of the pipeline cost differences. Charlottesville Tomorrow's assumptions and methodology are shown as footnotes below. As new data becomes available, it will be added to this analysis.
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Comparison of ESTIMATED Construction Costs [*] |
| Required Elements |
James River
Pipeline |
Charlottesville
Pipeline in
Local Watershed |
| Pipeline for raw water delivery (no treatment) |
$49,881,000 |
Est. [**] $30,264,864 |
| O-Hill Water Treatment Plant Replacement |
$40,000,000 |
-- |
| O-Hill Water Treatment Plant Rehabilitation |
-- |
$15,450,000 |
| SUB-TOTAL |
$89,881,000 |
$45,714,864 |
Raise Ragged Mountain Dam for
increased water storage capacity |
$59,524,000 |
$59,524,000 |
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TOTAL |
$149,405,000 |
$105,238,864 |
Option #1 – Charlottesville Pipeline
[Return to Top]
Increase the height of the Ragged Mountain Dam to allow for greater water storage. Connect the Ragged Mountain Reservoir and the South Fork Rivanna Reservoir with a new 10 mile (est) pipeline. Turn off the 100-year old 12-mile Sugar Hollow pipeline (slated for replacement) that fills Ragged Mountain today. Fill the expanded Ragged Mountain reservoir from the Rivanna Reservoir using the new pipeline. Balance water treatment between existing facilities.
Advantages of staying within our local watershed
- The base construction costs are about $45 million cheaper than the James River Pipeline.
- The reservoir-to-reservoir pipeline allows the balancing of existing water treatment plants so taxpayers do not need to pay for additional water treatment capacity at Observatory Hill.
- Returns natural water flow to Moormans River which is partially diverted today to fill Ragged Mountain using the old Sugar Hollow Pipeline. The water flows naturally down the mountain from Sugar Hollow to the South Fork Rivanna Reservoir. Once it arrives there, the new pipeline would be used to fill Ragged Mountain.
Disadvantages of staying within our local watershed
- Our watershed does not provide an endless supply of water. A water supply solution within our watershed carries the additional responsibility of thinking creatively about other supply options at times of severe drought and about ongoing conservation education for the community.
- The exact path this pipeline would take between the reservoirs is not yet known. The exact impact and disruption for property owners needs to be identified.
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Option #2 – James River Pipeline
[Return to Top]
Increase the height of the Ragged Mountain Dam to allow for greater water storage. Build a 20 mile pipeline from the James River in Scottsville to Charlottesville. Turn off the 100-year old 12-mile Sugar Hollow pipeline (slated for replacement) that fills Ragged Mountain today. Expand the water treatment system at Observatory Hill to handle the James River supply.
Advantages of going outside our locality for water in the James River
- The James River, when we are not in a drought, offers a virtually unlimited source of water.
- If James River water was treated at the Scottsville end, drinking water would be available for distribution to parts of Southern Albemarle not currently on public water (although that build out of public infrastructure would be in conflict with the current Comprehensive Plan).
Disadvantages of going outside our locality for water in the James River
- The James River Pipeline has a base construction cost of $45 million more than the Charlottesville Pipeline. We also don’t know what the actual costs to the taxpayer to treat water that comes from cities and industries upstream containing more pollutants and sediment.
- The intake for the pipeline would be in Scottsville. Upstream is Lynchburg, VA which has a combined storm water and septic overflow system that impacts James River water quality. There are also numerous upstream industries that have discharge permits that place contaminants in the river water.
- We cannot predict if the James River will be available to us at a time of drought (other communities depend exclusively on the James River as a water source). Regulators have informed RWSA officials that we may be unlikely to get a withdrawal permit at times of severe drought.
- Large capital expenses will be made to pump and treat James River water, the majority of which will not be needed (except at times of drought) and it will be sent back into the Rivanna River to return on its path down the James.
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Other measures we can take as a community to increase our water supply
- Increase conservation efforts.
- Ensure the ability to draw water from deeper depths in our existing supply reservoirs. For example, during the 2002 drought, our reservoir intake pipes could have been lowered to access more water).
- Investigate use of Beaver Creek reservoir in Crozet and Chris Greene Lake at times of severe drought.
Related Links [Return to Top]
- Rivanna Water & Sewer Authority Projects Page
- Public RWSA sources used in Charlottesville Tomorrow's cost analysis:
- Concept Development of Ragged Mountain Reservoir Expansion, by Gannett Fleming, February 16, 2005
- Concept Development of James River Withdrawal, by Gannett Fleming, February 2, 2005
- Water Supply Alternatives Supplemental Evaluation, August 25, 2004
- Cost Update - RWSA Alternatives, August 25, 2004
- Drink Local Water–Website on the water supply issue created by coalition of nine local organizations
This page last revised 6/28/06.
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