Q: Will I be notified before construction begins?
A: Yes. Initial notification letters were sent to property owners of record in the immediate vicinity of the project. A public hearing was also conducted as part of Franklin County’s Special Use Permit process required for construction of a public utility on the property.
As work on the treatment system nears completion, a Notice of Availability letter will be sent out to property owners of record along and adjacent to the Phase 1 Water Distribution Main with notification of availability to connect their property to the new public water system.
Q: Do I have to connect my property to the new public water system?
A: Property owners having an existing building with domestic supply or source of potable water meeting applicable standards and requirements established by the Virginia Department of Health are not required to connect to the new system.
However, new construction on properties served by the new system must connect as required in accordance with WVWA and Franklin County’s respective Mandatory Connection policies.
Please refer to these written policies for more detailed information:
WVWA: Development Rules and Regulations - Section 3. Mandatory Connection
Link to WVWA Development Rules & Regulations
Franklin County Code of Ordinances: Chapter 22 – Water and Sewer Systems Sec. 22-36 (c)
Link to Franklin County Ordinance
Q: How much will it cost to if I want to connect?
A: Connection and Availability fees for new connections are dependent on the type of service (Residential/Commercial/Industrial) and meter size required. Customers are then billed monthly based on meter size and the volume of water used during the billing period. WVWA Rates and Fees are published annually on the Authority’s website.
For a limited time during completion of construction, WVWA will offer a $1,000 discount off applicable Water Connection fee to the Southlake Water System for customers establishing a new water account. All other applicable fees must be paid in full by the established deadline. The discount deadline will be detailed in the Notification of Availability letter sent to prospective customers along and adjacent to the Phase 1 Water Distribution Main.
https://www.westernvawater.org/learn/customer-information/rates-and-fees
Customers are solely responsible for installation of the private portion of the new water service from the meter to the building or structure.
Q: Will I have access to the new waterline immediately?
A: The waterline will need to be fully installed, tested for leaks and quality, and flushed/sampled for Bac-T prior to activating any new service connections to the new waterline.
Q: Is there anything that I will see that could be confusing?
A: During construction, a new service line and meter will be installed at property line. Once the new water main is in service and the private portion of service from the meter to the building is installed, WVWA will need to inspect the installation to ensure that all work meets WVWA’s requirements. If the property was previously served by a private well, a “Cross-Connection” inspection by WVWA will be required (at no additional cost) to ensure that any previous water source (i.e. well) has been physically disconnected from the plumbing. Once approved and all applicable fees have been received, WVWA will send a technician to the property to activate the new service.
Q: Can I keep my existing well if I connect to public water?
A: Yes. Following installation of a new public water service to your building and satisfactory completion of a “Cross-Connection” inspection, an existing private well may be used but only for non-potable purposes such as irrigation.
Q: How will restoration / repairing damage to grass be handled?
A: Any alteration to your property resulting from work by WVWA will be restored as soon as possible based on the project schedule. There will be WVWA representatives on site to communicate with property owners about when the restoration will occur and to address any questions that you may have about the project. Contact information for WVWA representatives will be communicated before work on your property begins.
Q: Will travel be impacted (cars and or school buses)?
A: A Maintenance of Traffic plan will be developed by WVWA to provide constant travel access in the project area throughout the duration of the project. Maintaining school bus pick-up and drop-off routes and schedules will be a priority.
