The Washington County Service Authority has been working for several years to bring water service to the Hidden Valley area of Washington County. This long-term project was recently completed, bringing a reliable source of clean water to the remaining residents who requested service through WCSA.
“Since 2009, when the first of our Hidden Valley neighbors approached WCSA, we’ve been working to supply this community with a dependable water source,” says Robbie Cornett, general manager of WCSA. “Residents there have reported dwindling water supply during dry periods, and service lines to springs tend to freeze up during cold snaps. Others have reported the presence of iron or bacteria in their water sources.
“Hidden Valley is located in a very high-altitude portion of Washington County, and the elevation changes make it extremely challenging to provide water to the community,” Cornett says. “Serving customers in higher elevations results in increased project costs due to the need for pumping equipment.”
After a careful planning process for this complex project, including testing of water sources in the Hidden Valley area, WCSA worked to acquire the necessary funding to support the construction of the distribution system to the community. The Hidden Valley Water System Extension Project was divided into two phases, with the first phase completed in May 2016 with a project cost of $620,000.
Phase 1 provided a connection through a master meter to the Russell County Water System. The connection was established at the Russell County line, and a 6-inch waterline was installed along Porterfield Highway and northward along Hidden Valley Road to an approximate elevation of 2,500 feet (near Chestnut Grove Community Church). This extension provided water service to approximately 30 residents.
Phase 2 will complete the distribution system for Hidden Valley, bringing public water to 29 homes located in the highest areas of the community, with 26 of those residences signed up for connections. This phase involves the installation of 7,700 linear feet of 4-inch and 2-inch lines, along with two pump stations.
Phase 2 construction costs are $765,000, and are supported by a combination of grants and loans from the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development, the Virginia Department of Health and the Mount Rogers Planning District Commission. Phase 2 construction began in September 2020 and is expected to be completed this fall.