In rapidly growing Stafford County, officials take groundwater inventory

STAFFORD — There are 2,089 homes planned to be built in Stafford County all needing wells. With some wells underperforming in a rural section of the county, officials ordered a study of the available groundwater residents in those homes would use.

In 2016, residents who lived along Mount Olive Road in the western portion of the county voiced concerns that their wells were slow to recharge. They also voiced concerns about potential impacts to their wells from a nearby developing subdivision at the time.

The subsequent groundwater study examined water quality west of Interstate 95. Officials wanted an estimate of available groundwater and examined well regulations enacted by nearby localities.

They also wanted to know if establishing a county program to monitor wells would be beneficial. The study noted the supply could support an additional 4,500 homes that rely on water from wells.

The purpose of this study was to provide an evaluation of Stafford County’s Piedmont Aquifer with a focus on better understanding the aquifer’s capacity as a water resource and current usage of the resource.

The study examined previous reports and studies, using preexisting data. The board also used data compiled by the Virginia Department of Health (VDH.)

The study, while currently in draft form awaiting presentation to the Planning Commission and comments from the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors, there is an available water supply of 1.43 million gallons per day (mgd).

The study also noted that while Stafford has been given specific legislative authority to regulate wells based on quality, and not for well construction and abandonment, the county has not yet enacted and additional regulations.

Six other counties in the Piedmont region have taken action, passing ordinances requiring hydrologic assessments for new developments to be supplied by groundwater resources. The six other counties surrounding Stafford already have had different regulations passed by local governments.

Among other concerns, the study found that newer drilled wells that were drilled after the year 2000 were more productive than older wells that were drilled prior to 2000.

It was found that monitoring wells could be used to detect short and long-term changes in groundwater levels.

Supervisors Vice Chairman Gary Snellings (Hartwood) and Wendy Maurer (Rock Hill) recently held a town hall meeting at Margaret Brent Elementary School earlier this year to talk about the issue with Stafford County residents affected by this issue.

The town hall meeting was about the release of the water study. Additional recommendations will be forthcoming coming but have not been formulated yet.