The Charlottesville water supply rose yesterday to reach 73 percent, and as a result of recent rainfall, Charlottesville City Council will re-appraise current citywide water restrictions.
An Oct. 10, 2001, Cavalier Daily article quoted Gene Potter, then a Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority spokesman, as saying that a 73 percent reservoir capacity was "normal and not severe."
However, Rivanna Executive Director Larry Tropea said there is a "different mindset" to the water shortfall this year. When coming from a low of 53 percent, "you're not comfortable with 73 percent," Tropea added.
There is no set date for lifting the current water restrictions.
However, the city now is in the process of re-appraising the situation, City Councilman Blake Caravati said.
The City Council "set an unofficial benchmark for reappraisal at 70" percent, Caravati said.
Although recent conservation has reduced city water usage to 60 percent, Caravati stressed that conservation is a long-term, not a short-term, issue.
"There is no indication that the ground water and stream flow has been recharged enough so we can rely on them," he said.
Ground water and stream flow are the primary sources of reservoir water.
The reservoir water level has increased about 20 percent within the past month, primarily because of rainfall, according to Tropea.
As the supply side has improved, water usage continues to go down, he said. He praised local citizens for conservation efforts.
In the week of Sept. 8, 11.1 million gallons of water were used, compared with the 6.87 million gallons used the past week, from Oct. 21 to Oct. 27.
But conservation efforts may have an unexpected pitfall. Because of reduced water use, Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority, the water distributor for the city of Charlottesville and Albemarle County, has fallen short of its sales budget. As a result, the per-unit cost of water has increased, Tropea said. Rivanna has increased the base rate that the city and county must pay for water. The city and county must then vote whether to impose that same cost increase on residents.
On Nov. 4, Council will vote on a proposal to increase the water base rate for residents by 50 percent, Caravati said.
With the 50 percent surcharge currently in place on water, the cost of water would increase over 100 percent to consumers if the new increase passes, Caravati said.
Ordinary summer water rates are $24.77 per 1,000 cubic feet. With the water surcharge that rate already has risen to $37.16 per 1,000 cubic feet, and should the water base rate increase, water would cost $54.96 per 1,000 cubic feet.
The average household water use is 600-650 cubic feet per month.
Local restaurants, who are severely impacted by the restrictions, joined together to form Project H2O, a coalition aimed at restaurant water conservation.
Within this group, University Dining Services has taken an active role, said Eddie Whedbee, associate director of Dining Services.
The University is the largest local water consumer and its supply comes at a lower rate.
"As soon as [the drought] became evident in Albemarle and Charlottesville, we started looking at ways we could cut" water use, Whedbee said.
Trays immediately were cut from dining halls and Styrofoam plates and cups are now used for four meals out of the week -- from Friday dinner to Sunday brunch. Retail fountain drinks and catered tap water also have been cut. These measures have led to a 45-50 percent reduction in dining services' water usage, Whedbee said.
The measures, started in mid-September, will remain in place until the city has lifted its restrictions.
Dining hall trays, however, may be gone for good. Several students are trying to start a movement to end the use of trays as a permanent way to save water, Whedbee said.
Dining Services and other members of Project H2O will meet tonight to decide whether to continue the use of disposable tableware in city restaurants, according to Rapture Restaurant Manager Charity Donnelly.
Donnelly said she believes that once the water level reaches 80 percent, restaurants will return to using normal plates and glasses.
However, even if the reservoir level should reach 80 percent, another dry winter could land Charlottesville in a similar drought situation next summer, Caravati said.
Read More
Class of 2024 celebrates graduation at final exercises
By Finn Trainer | 2 days agoIn his opening remarks, University President Jim Ryan praised the graduating class for their resilience during challenging times.
U.Va. Alumni Association submits plans for new Alumni Hall building
By Caroline Hagood | 4 days agoWest said that despite the proposal moving through City Council’s review process, the project is still years away from becoming a reality.
Graduating student leaders reflect on how they impacted the University community
By Jackie Bond and Brandon Kile | 5 days agoAccording to Lilian Rojas, Board of Visitors student representative and fourth-year Batten student, the Class of 2024 is defined by its resilience.
