By Crystal Owens - July 31, 2011
A new well constructed to serve residents of Raspberry Falls is now operational, Loudoun Water officials announced July 25.
The well, known as Well F, is a replacement for a well that was shut down last year.
Raspberry Falls, a community north of Leesburg, had been operating on one communal well since Nov. 16.
Normally served by two wells, one was shut down in anticipation of a Nov. 23 determination by the state’s Department of Health that the well was under the direct influence of surface water, rendering it unsafe as a drinking water source until an appropriate treatment level is determined.
That determination is known as Groundwater Under the Direct Influence of Surface Water or GUDI.
The community lies on a limestone overlay district, meaning surface water can easily drain down and mix with the groundwater. Soil normally serves as a natural filtration system for surface water before it travels underground.
In addition to the new well, Loudoun Water officials announced that construction work recently began on an expansion of the Raspberry Falls waste water treatment plan to serve nearby Selma Estates.
Selma Estates also operates on a communal well system.
An interconnection between the two communities’ systems was recently approved by the state Department of Health and is ready to be used in case of an emergency.
Loudoun Water officials are still studying options on how to improve the quality of water within the Raspberry Falls community, including whether a pipeline extension from Leesburg is viable.
Loudoun Water officials are still studying options on how to improve the quality of water within the Raspberry Falls community, including whether a pipeline extension from Leesburg is viable.
Mike McGill, spokesman for Loudoun Water, said a report from that study is expected soon.
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