5:30 p.m. – The park has reopened. The latest from Mayor Earnie Porta:
River Mill Park has re-opened after a temporary closure that began after 8:00 p.m. last evening due to a water main break underneath the Fairfax Water access road to the dam. The main break caused water to pour from underneath the pavement down the slopes behind and adjacent to the LOVE sign and through the park. Fairfax Water personnel were able to turn off the water not long after 9:00 p.m. last evening, and today worked to clear the resulting sediment and gravel from the park’s foot path. It will be next week before all the sediment and gravel can be cleared from some of the grassy areas in the park, but the park is now re-opened for public use and no long term damage is anticipated.
11:30 a.m. – A water main break closed River Mill Park in Occoquan.
This video on Thursday, June 27, 2024, shows water spilling over the retaining wall into the Occoquan River. “
“The break occurred on Fairfax Water’s side of the system and did not require action from Service Authority staff. It did not impact our infrastructure or water service,” states a Prince William Water (formerly Service Authority) spokeswoman.
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The park sits at the end of Mill Street, the town’s main drag, and is a popular gathering spot for summer concerts and events.
Water spilled over the retaining wall at @VisitOccoquan‘s River Mill Park. We’re working to find out what happened. So far, @pwwaterofficial has not provided an update. Hat tip to the reader who sent us this video! pic.twitter.com/qg4jTp827F
— Potomac Local News (@PotomacLocal) June 28, 2024
Hat tip to the reader who sent us this video!
Virginia Mercury: “Virginia’s State Water Control Board amended regulations last week that will require local governments in the same river basin to work together in crafting plans for water supply and use.”
“Previously, the state allowed local governments to choose whether they wanted to submit such plans independently or work with other localities in a regional approach. Plans must include existing water sources, water use and environmental conditions, any actions being taken to manage water supply and drought response plans, among other information.”
Prince William Service Authority: “Prince William County Service Authority employees showcased their skills and expertise at the Virginia Section American Water Works Association (VA AWWA) 33rd Annual Water Distribution Seminar and Utility Rodeo.”
“Held in Roanoke earlier this month, the Utility Rodeo featured contests that tested participants’ skill, speed and safety in the water utility industry.”
“The Service Authority achieved top honors in the Best of Virginia Taste Test, where judges sampled water from various utilities and assessed contestants in categories like Clarity, Odor, Flavor and Aftertaste.”
Prince William County Service Authority: “Employees, contractors and customers visiting Prince William County Service Authority’s Spittle Administrative Building Lobby this summer will notice a new installation.”
“The sculpture is on loan to the Service Authority from the Prince William Soil & Water Conservation District (Soil & Water District) and Freedom High School’s Center for Environmental & Natural Sciences (CENS), who partnered on the initiative to promote the importance of reducing trash in the environment.”
“It will be on display in the Spittle Building until the beginning of the 2023-24 school year in August, after which it will return to Freedom High School.”
“Items like lighters, plastic water bottles, flip flops, electronics and discarded dinnerware converge in the sculpture to create aquatic grasses, cattails, flowers and insects, all of which are threatened by wetland pollution.”
“The piece was created by Angela Haseltine Pozzi of ReUPit, an Oregon-based organization. Funded by a grant from the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia, it is made entirely from materials that were collected during cleanups of Prince William County waterways.”
The Prince William Service Authority: “The Prince William County Service Authority releases its 2023 Water Quality Reports, which provide important information about the source and characteristics of the utility’s drinking water.”
“The reports are available on the Service Authority’s website at www.pwcsa.org.“
“Each of the Service Authority’s five distribution systems – East, West, Hoadly Manor, Carter’s Grove, and Bull Run Mountain and Evergreen – has its own Water Quality Report. As noted in the reports, the Service Authority’s drinking water met all federal and state water quality requirements for the calendar year 2022, which is the most recent regulatory period.”
“Except for drinking water in the Bull Run Mountain and Evergreen communities, the drinking water distributed by the Service Authority is sourced from the Potomac River, Occoquan Reservoir, and Lake Manassas.”
“While most of the drinking water the Service Authority provides customers is treated at facilities owned and operated by Fairfax Water, many customers in the county’s western end receive some water treated at the City of Manassas Water Treatment Plant. Customers in the Bull Run Mountain and Evergreen communities receive their water from six public groundwater wells located throughout the area.”
“The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Virginia Waterworks Regulations require all water utilities to produce annual water quality reports.”
“Service Authority customers with questions about water quality or who would like a printed copy of their Water Quality Report may contact the Service Authority’s Regulatory Affairs Office at 1-703- 331-4162 or [email protected].”
H2Go Kids is a free virtual educational program the Service Authority offers to public, private, and homeschooled students in Prince William County. Classroom presentations are delivered via Zoom by the Community Outreach staff or pre-recorded videos that teachers can share with students.
Educational content and activities are also provided at one or two STEAM events each month during the school year. The program is specially designed to connect with the Virginia Science Standards of Learning (SOL) and the local Prince William County water systems.
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