Otterhouse Water System Groundbreaking

July 12, 2010

Hiltons, Virginia

          I am pleased to join you this morning in Scott County in breaking ground on a new federally funded water system, which when completed will provide safe and reliable public water service to 119 homes for the first time in the Otterhouse area of the Hiltons community.

          Adequate and reliable public water systems are essential to maintaining the high quality of life in Southwest Virginia as well as to achieving our economic development goals for the region. For these reasons, working with our area’s leaders to expand our water and wastewater infrastructure is one of my highest priorities.

          Currently, many residents of the Hiltons community in the Route 58 and Otterhouse Road areas do not have access to public water service. These homes rely on wells, and residents have experienced problems with poor water quality and insufficient water quantity.

          I have been actively working with Scott County officials to address this problem. As a result of that work, at my urging, $2,248,903 was awarded in federal Recovery Act funds to construct a new water system to serve 119 homes in the Hiltons area. The federal funding was allocated to Scott County through Virginia’s Safe Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund program as a result of the economic Recovery Act approved by Congress last year. In addition to the federal funding, LENOWISCO provided the funds necessary to complete the preliminary engineering work for the project.

          With the benefit of the federal funds, more than 13 miles of water lines will be installed to provide connections to 119 homes. In addition, 22 fire hydrants will be installed. The water lines and hydrants will be installed along Route 58, which is better known as The Crooked Road, and along Otterhouse Road, Roberts Creek Road, McMurray Hollow Road, Spurrier Cemetery Lane, Bright Hollow Road, and Palomino Drive.

          The new water system will be connected to the existing Hiltons water system, and the water provided through the new system will be treated at the Weber City Water Treatment plant. Construction begins today and is expected to conclude early next year.

          The new water system in the Otterhouse area of the Hiltons community will not only address the community’s water quality problems for current residents, but it will also make future residential growth in the area possible. Currently, the poor water quality is limiting the growth in the number of residents in the area. When the construction that begins today is completed, residents of Hiltons will benefit from not only improved water quality but also the possibility for new residential development.  

          I would like to take this opportunity to recognize a number of individuals whose efforts have been vital to advancing the new public water system for the Otterhouse area of the Hiltons community.

          I want to thank Joe Horton, who represents this area on the Scott County Board of Supervisors and the Scott County Public Service Authority, for his efforts on behalf of Hiltons residents.

          I also want to thank David Redwine, Chair, and the other members of the Board of Supervisors and Edgar Hood, Chair, and the other members of the Public Service Authority for their leadership and foresight in expanding Scott County’s water and wastewater infrastructure.

          Dan Danko, Director of the PSA, and his staff also deserve our thanks today.

          I also want to thank Steven Pellei, Dale Kitchen and Richard Puckett with the Virginia Department of Health for their efforts on behalf of this project.

          I also want to thank Delegate Terry Kilgore and State Senator William Wampler, who represent this area in the Virginia General Assembly, for their work on behalf of Scott County residents. The federal Recovery Act funds that are making construction of the new Otterhouse water system possible were granted through the Virginia Department of Health’s Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund, and both Delegate Kilgore and Senator Wampler have supported Scott County’s efforts to obtain the funds.

          I also want to thank Skip Skinner, Executive Director of LENOWISCO, and his excellent staff for the work they have done to advance this project.

          Finally, I would like to thank Derek Lyall, my Project Manager, for his continued work in support of water projects throughout the Ninth Congressional District.  

The construction which begins today represents a significant step forward in our ongoing efforts to expand our region’s water and wastewater infrastructure. The new water system for the Otterhouse area of the Hiltons community is truly an example of what can be accomplished with citizens and government officials on the local, state and federal levels work together in aid of a common purpose. For that cooperation and successfully work, I would like to thank all here and offer special congratulations to the residents who will soon receive public water services for the first time.