
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, May 6, 1995                   TAG: 9505080049
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-10   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: B. LYNN WILLIAMS CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: PEARISBURG                                 LENGTH: Medium

GILES AUTHORITY SAYS ITS COMMITTED TO WATER PROJECT

Reports of the death of the Giles County Public Service Authority have been exaggerated. That's what PSA Chairman Gary Eaton told representatives from the county and five towns at the authority's meeting Thursday afternoon.

Eaton said a meeting Wednesday night of the mayors, supervisors, project engineers and others had revived the PSA. Each of the six participants had committed to seeing the water project continue, Eaton said.

The countywide effort, which has been in the works for over five years, envisioned linking the five towns of Pearisburg, Pembroke, Glen Lyn, Rich Creek and Narrows and the county in a water system that would be partially financed by federal grants. The county has committed to bearing 40 percent of the project's cost.

Dave Rundgren, director of the New River Planning District Commission, reviewed the two reasons for creating the service authority: problems with both quantity and quality of water in the county. On April 27, the state Department of Health notified Pearisburg, Pembroke and Narrows that their systems violate state regulations. The state indicated that it understood the three towns would be joining in the authority and the countywide water system.

Rundgren, saying he did not want to be the bearer of bad news, stressed that time was running out to get the project going.

Grants from the Appalachian Regional Commission, the Rural Economic and Community Development Agency [formerly Farmer's Home Administration], and the Economic Development Administration will not be available indefinitely.

``Right now the money's got your name on it,'' Rundgren said, but action must be taken within 60 days to keep it.

With the commitment to go forward, Thompson and Litton engineer Bill King provided a briefing on an alternative plan to use two water treatment plants, instead of one.

He advised that this plan, which was developed after Pearisburg had objected to the cost of water transmission lines, would not be cost-effective because it would involve large amounts of ``time and re-engineering dollars.'' Going with this plan would also endanger the grants, which will fund about 31 percent of the project's cost.

Eaton reminded members that Pearisburg had committed to the concept and was willing to negotiate to ensure that the service authority gets started soon. PSA members voted to adopt the single water treatment plant proposal and to begin negotiations with Pearisburg.

The PSA chairman expressed confidence that a deal could be struck. ``I firmly believe we can negotiate with Pearisburg,'' Eaton said.

The authority members also voted to authorize Executive Director Tim Brown to send a letter to John Capito of the Virginia Department of Health, requesting a moratorium on enforcing violation notices recently mailed to the towns of Narrows, Pearisburg and Pembroke.

by CNB