Guidance Document Change: This guidance document has been developed to assist local government and associated stakeholders with applying the policies and procedures related to submitting regional water supply plans in accordance with the Local and Regional Water Supply Planning regulation (9VAC25-780).
Specific needs of Blue Ridge Province (fractured bedrock) overlooked
The proposed regulation need to better address two key concerns:
Fracture bedrock aquifer of the Blue Ridge Province: The local concerns, specifically, those areas along the Blue Ridge Province in Virginia, need better attention in the determination of water demands. Specifically, there are about 75,000 residents who are solely dependent on groundwater. Most are private wells and about 1/3 of the residents rely on small towns and community systems. Based on the proposed regulations, this leaves nearly 50,000 residents not accurately accounted for in the water demands.
Drought impacts: In the Blue Ridge Province the groundwater in fractured bedrock is not accurately assessed and monitored to determine drought conditions. A significantly greater density of monitoring wells and other metrics are needed. Simply addressing those wells producing more than 300,000 gallons per month omits and overlooks the residential wells. There are no meaningful contingencies for these private wells, therefore early warning and public outreach is critical. This situation is especially true in western Loudoun County where 2/3 of the groundwater in withdrawn from 17,000+ smaller residential wells.
