Under a mandate from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), the Town of Urbanna will need to replace two wells in the next few years.
The Urbanna Town Council is considering drilling both wells near the main well at the water tower as a cost-saving measure.
A back-up well, located near the town pool, must be replaced, explained water committee chair Bill Smith during the August 8 council meeting.
Drilling the well at the current location would require pumping water at high pressure up hill to the tower. This would require installing pressure-regulating valves for some customers and replacing a water line on Virginia Street.
Drilling the well at the water tower eliminates these expenses. In addition, the existing generator and chlorination equipment at the main well can be used for both wells, furthering cost savings, said Smith.
Also, the town can drill both the main and back-up wells at the same time, which should save money, said Smith.
The town is seeking a permit for this plan from the Virginia Department of Health.
The current wells must be replaced due to new regulations requiring the well pipe to have a casing around it to prevent water from one aquifer flowing into another aquifer.
The town’s well is over 600 feet deep and draws from the Potomac Aquifer.
