Options for Glade water are offered

The Alleghany County Commissioners’ and Alleghany Schools’ facilities subcommittee was presented with four preliminary options of how to proceed with the Glade Creek water and sewer project during its July 16 meeting.

Preliminary well costs range from $376,200 to $3,921,100. Paperwork also indicated preliminary cost of a school only septic system would be $321,300.

The subcommittee includes Superintendent Jeff Cox and Board of Education members Betsy Dillon and Faron Atwood and County Manager Don Adams and commissioners Doug Murphy and Randy Miller. Also participating in the recent meeting were Kevin Heath with Adams and Heath Engineering of Galax, Va., Alleghany Schools’ Maintenance Director Mike Edwards and Qualified Zone Academy Bonds Project Manager Dan Pardue.

Adams noted Heath was hired with funds allocated through a planning grant from the North Carolina Rural Center. The first water alternative Heath spoke of was the development of groundwater wells, with an estimated project cost of $2,972,800. The preliminary numbers showed—with a subtotal water construction cost of $2,358,100 a subtotal for related costs and contingencies at $614,700 and average cost of $42.03 per square feet—the alternative could serve as many as 220 potential customers.

Of the option, Heath remarked it would serve as a stand-alone system. “If this was the route we were to go (with) there would have to be a whole lot of legwork done…We would be in a position of competing with other localities across the state.” Heath added, “In each of the first three alternatives we’re discussing, we’re looking at each of these in a public system that would be able to provide both domestic water and fire protection.”

Adams clarified the numbers preliminary discussed on options that would serve the community were based on the consideration that upwards of 80 percent of the community would be served through the water alternatives.

The second water alternative Heath spoke of was the connection to the Sparta water system, with an estimated project cost of $3,921,100. The preliminary numbers showed—with a subtotal water construction cost of $3,137,300, a subtotal for related costs and contingencies at $783,800 and average cost of $39.27 per square feet—the alternative could serve as many as 215 potential customers.

Heath commented the system would tie into Sparta’s system just past TruLine Truss on U.S. 21, continue down the main road to Glade Valley Road, where it would make its way to Glade Creek School.