Groundbreaking on Patrick Springs Public Water and Wastewater System

Patrick Springs, Virginia

August 17, 2010

            I am pleased to return to return to Patrick Springs today to join with you in breaking ground on new public water and wastewater systems, which when completed will provide safe and reliable public water and wastewater services for the first time along the Route 58 corridor in Patrick Springs. The new infrastructure will bring water services to more than 210 homes, businesses and the Patrick Springs Elementary School and provide sewer services for more than 55 homes and businesses. In addition, the new services will enable new residential and business growth in this part of Patrick County.

          Adequate and reliable public water and wastewater systems are essential to maintaining our excellent quality of life and are critical to achieving our economic development goals for the region. For these reasons, I work actively with local officials throughout the Ninth Congressional District to secure the federal funds necessary to construct new and improve existing public water systems.  

In recent years, I have been working with Patrick County officials to provide new water and wastewater services along the Route 58 corridor in Patrick Springs. Currently, residents in this area of Patrick County rely on small, aging, private water systems, which are inadequate to serve the number of homes located in this area today. Additionally, although the location of Patrick Springs is ideal for commercial and industrial growth, new development in the community has been restricted by the lack of public water and sewer services.

To address this problem, at my urging, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, through its Rural Development Agency has provided a total of $5,010,000 in federal funds to provide new water and wastewater services along the Route 58 corridor in Patrick Springs. Of that total amount, $1,467,000 has been provided as a federal grant, and $3,543,000 has been provided in the form of two low-interest federal loans.

With the benefit of the federal funds, a new public water system and a new public wastewater system will be constructed. As part of the project, 37,000 feet of water lines will be installed along Route 58 East of Stuart to Patrick Springs, along Spring Drive, South Mayo Drive, Connect Road, West View Drive, D&W Lane, Prvidence Drive, Elementary Lane, Friendship Lane, Twin Ford Loop, Pine Street Road, and Maple Street. When completed, the new water system will provide safe and reliable water service to 210 homes and businesses in Patrick Springs as well as Patrick Springs Elementary School. The new water system will be able to accommodate future business and residential growth.

In addition, a public wastewater system will be constructed to provide sewer services to 55 homes in Patrick Springs.  As part of the project, more than 16,000 feet of sewer lines will be installed as well as two pump stations and nearly 8,000 feet of force main. Sewer lines will be installed along Route 58 East of Stuart to Patrick Springs, Spring Drive, South Mayo Drive, Connect Road, West View Drive, D&W Lane, Providence Drive, and Route 58 West of Stuart to the W&W Produce property, Hall Propane and the former Stanley Chevrolet property. The businesses and residents in the portion of the project West of Stuart receive public water services from the Town of Stuart.

After the initial construction, a future phase of the project, construction on which is expected to begin later this year, will extend wastewater services to Patrick Springs Elementary School and the homes and businesses in the area surrounding the school.

The total cost of construction is $5,255,900. In addition to the federal funds, Patrick County has provided $245,900 for the project. With the total funding for the project in place, construction begins today and is expected to conclude next year.

Today’s groundbreaking truly represents a major success for Patrick County residents and another significant step in our ongoing efforts to improve and expand access to public water service throughout Southwest Virginia. Residents of Patrick County will not only benefit from the improved quality of life the new water and sewer services provide but also from the economic development potential afforded by the new business and commercial development that is enabled by the provision of this infrastructure.

          I would like to take the opportunity of these remarks to recognize a number of individuals who have been instrumental in the success we celebrate today.

          I want to thank Ellen Davis, State Director for the Rural Development Agency, and Art Powers, Area Director for the Rural Development Agency, as well as their excellent staff for their successful efforts to secure this funding. Art deserves special thanks today for his attentiveness to this project, which has been in development for many years.

          I also want to thank Karl Weiss, Chair of the Patrick County Board of Supervisors, and Bob Pendleton Chair of the Patrick County Public Service Authority, as well as the other members of those Boards for their ongoing efforts to meet the infrastructure needs of Patrick County residents.  

          The Town Council of Stuart and its Mayor James McHone deserve our recognition today for their cooperation and efforts in developing this project.

          I also want to recognize Roscoe Reynolds and Ward Armstrong, who represent Patrick County in the Virginia General Assembly, for their work on behalf of Patrick County residents.

          Finally, I want to thank my Director for Community Development Derek Lyall for his excellent work in support of this project.

Today’s groundbreaking marks a major success for Patrick County and is truly an example of what can be accomplished when citizens and government officials at the local, state and federal levels work together in aid of a common purpose. For that cooperation and successful work, I want to thank all here and offer special congratulations to the residents who will soon receive new water and wastewater services.