Study Options for Raspberry Falls Community

Dear Ms. Kurtz:

I was just made aware of the study you have requested Loudoun Water to perform on options for a long term water solution for Raspberry Falls, for which we are thankful.  I was also informed that without a specific request from you, Loudoun Water will not consider the option of public water furnished either directly by them or via extension of the Leesburg Water system.  Therefore, the purpose of this request is to obtain your support for such inclusion.  There are several reasons for this, which I'm sure you will agree make sense.

First, I am concerned about the identified option of interconnecting the Raspberry Falls system with the Selma system.  While this obstensibly provides that Selma is an emergency back-up for Raspberry, it does not alleviate the requirement that Raspberry must be capable of sustaining itself, the means of which have yet to be put in place to handle the demand at buildout.  We still have outstanding issues of water for fire emergencies, and sufficiency of water and storage for our normal demand.  Inherent in this situation is that, by implication, Raspberry becomes emergency back-up for Selma.  A strain on one system can mean a strain on the other system.  Another concern with this option is that both systems are tied into the same aquifier or underground water source, and a potential problem with one can mean problems for both.

Another consideration for all options, of course, is what timeframe to put on the study of the options.  One of the options provides for a filtering process using a membrane, which in and of it self might sound reasonable, but the life of the membrane is limited and must be considered to include replacement costs for some reasonable period of time, which should be somewhere between 30 and 40 years.  I don't know if Selma has a membrane on its system, but either system would more than likely be overtaxed if needed to service both communities.  My understanding, also, is that membrane treatment requires full time staffing, another cost consideration.

I started off this letter with a request for you to ask Loudoun Water to examine the option of extending Leesburg water to us or serving us directly, which I hope you will do given the concerns above.  However, another option which may work would be to create our area as a transition zone aligned with the city of Leesburg, under which Leesburg Water would then become our authorized water service provider.  This option may be politically more difficult to accomplish.  However, that should not eliminate it from consideration.

We continue to be concerned regarding the commitment of VanMetre to adhere to it's obligation for costs to 90% buildout.  Further delay in coming to a suitable solution will work in VanMetre's favor by permitting them to walk away from this entirely, leaving the County, Loudoun Water, and the Community holding the bag.

Thank you for your support.