“Together, we tried to come to an economically and environmentally friendly agreement with the county that would make this plan beneficial to everyone,” said Shannon V. Becker, president of Aqua Virginia in a statement released tonight (Oct. 2). “Although we couldn’t finalize the terms of an agreement at this time, if asked, we would look forward to an opportunity to provide a viable solution to this need in the future.”
Aqua submitted a proposal to build a pipeline designed to supply drinking water from its nearby Lake Monticello system to Zion Crossroads. The company said that revenue generated by the bulk water sale to Zion Crossroads would also have helped defray some of the costs of service to existing customers in Aqua’s regulated water systems.
“Aqua has worked hard on this project with Fluvanna County for several years, and we believe our proposal offers the best option to bring vital water service at a volume that could enable this promising area to grow and thrive,” said Becker. “Aqua serves tens of thousands of people throughout the commonwealth, and we have the resources and expertise necessary to make the Zion Crossroads project a reality.” Becker also noted that new economic development could alleviate the area’s primarily residential tax burden by encouraging commercial growth.
Aqua owns and operates Fluvanna County’s Lake Monticello drinking water and wastewater systems, which serve about 11,000 people. –-Carlos Santos
