Weather delays water work

Several cold and icy winter months have somewhat stalled progress on water lines for the Virginia-Carolina Water Authority, as well as stalling a bore under New River.

With frozen ground and a coating of snow and ice since mid-December, work also has been slowed on digging trenches in which the lines can be placed and inspecting previously completed work.

While there has been very limited progress in recent months, no new timetable for providing water to the two towns has been released. New River water was expected to start flowing to the two towns by this coming fall.

Through sharing current resources for a limited time if necessary, the authority will be able to provide all of the two towns water whether or not construction is complete, said Project Engineer Bobby Lane of Lane Engineering.

Sparta Town Manager Bryan Edwards, the authority's chairman, agreed that the authority can meet current contracts, "We're ready to care for anybody's water needs." One possible scenario involved the opening of the new Virginia State Prison in Independence, which is scheduled to be completed later this year. Due to budget constraints in that state, there has been no action toward hiring personnel prior to getting that new facility filled with prisoners, leaving its future uncertain.

As for the water authority, progress is again picking up after the most recent thaw.