Water Supply Plan City of Bristol,

Prepared For:

Bristol Virginia Utilities 15022 Lee Highway Bristol, Virginia 24202 (276) 669-4112

Prepared By:

Commission Number 2150J

403 E. Market Street Johnson City, 37601 (423) 979-2220 www.matternandcraig.com

June 12, 2006

City of Bristol Water Supply Plan

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Executive Summary...... 3

I. Purpose and Scope...... 4

II. General Information...... 4

II. Planning Area and Service Area...... 5

IV. Evaluation of Existing Water Supply...... 6 Existing Water Source Information...... 6 Existing Water Use Information...... 10 Existing Resource Information...... 13

V. Needs Assessment and Alternatives...... 16 Projected Water Demand Information...... 16 Statement of Need and Alternatives...... 16

VI. Water Demand Management ...... 17 Water Demand Management Information...... 17 Drought Response and Contingency Plans...... 17

VII. Future Funding ...... 18

VIII. Conclusions and Recommendations ...... 19

Appendices Appendix A Water Rate Information Appendix B VDH Waterworks Description Sheet Appendix C Precipitation and Stream Gauge Data Appendix D Water Production and Use Information Appendix E TVA Operating Permit Correspondence & TVA Act of 1933 Appendix F Inter-Municipal Agreement with WCSA Appendix G Demand Projection Calculations Appendix H Evaluation Criteria for Needs Assessment Appendix I Drought Response Plan

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The City of Bristol, Virginia, acting through its water utility, Bristol Virginia Utilities (BVU), has developed this water supply plan in accordance with Title 9 VAC25-780. The Plan projects the future water needs of the City through the proposed planning period of 45 years (year 2050).

The plan includes an evaluation of the existing water source, treatment capacity, storage capacity, and distribution capacity, as well as existing usage. This addresses the requirements of VAC25-780-70, 80, and 90.

No conclusions have been drawn at this time. The City intends to complete the plan in stages as funding allows and only the first phases of the plan have been addressed at this time. Conclusions and recommendations will be included in the future in the final plan.

The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality has provided funding and technical assistance during the completion of this report.

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I. Purpose and Scope

The City of Bristol, Virginia, acting through its water utility, Bristol Virginia Utilities (BVU), has developed this water supply plan in accordance with Title 9 VAC25-780. The Plan includes existing data from other water plans for the City and projects the future water needs of the City through the proposed planning period of 45 years (year 2050).

The Local and Regional Water Supply Planning Regulation establishes a planning process and criteria that all local governments will use in the development of local or regional plans. These plans will be reviewed by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and a determination will be made by the State Water Control Board whether the plans comply with this regulation. The plans will be reviewed every five years to assess adequacy and significant changes will require the submission of an amended plan and review by the Board.

This regulation was developed to implement the mandate of Senate Bill 1221 (2003, c.227, SB1221), which requires that “The Board, with the advice and guidance from the Commissioner of Health, local governments, public service authorities, and other interested parties, shall establish a comprehensive water supply planning process for the development of local, regional and state water supply plans consistent with the provisions of this chapter.”

The purpose of this regulation is to protect the health, safety and welfare of citizens by requiring local and regional water supply planning. The goal of this regulation is to establish a basic set of criteria that each local or regional water supply plan must contain so that they may plan for and provide adequate water to their citizens in a manner that balances the need for environmental protection and future growth.

The City of Bristol Water Supply Plan includes an evaluation of the existing water source, treatment capacity, storage capacity, and distribution capacity, as well as existing usage. Future demand projections were calculated with input from various sources. An expansion plan will not be developed.

BVU has retained Mattern & Craig to prepare the water supply plan on behalf of the City of Bristol.

II. General Information

This plan includes information for the citizens of the City of Bristol, Virginia as supplied with water by BVU. The general project information is as follows:

Political Subdivision Included Bristol, Virginia Contact Person Wes Rosenbalm, President Address 15022 Lee Highway Bristol, Virginia 24202

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Phone (276) 645-8701 Fax (276) 645-2020 Email Address [email protected]

Information for this report was gathered in conjunction with the BVU water system staff and water treatment plant staff. Historical information was gathered from VDH, DEQ, and BVU records. Environmental data was gathered from the United States Geological Survey, Tennessee Valley Authority, and historical records.

III. Planning Area and Service Area

This plan is intended to include the City of Bristol, Virginia. There are two Cities of Bristol, one each located in Tennessee and Virginia, operating as separate governments. The Cities are separated by State Street. Bronze plates are installed on the center line of the Street approximately identifying the TN-VA State line. Bristol, Virginia is located within Washington County, Virginia, although the City operates as a separate government from the County.

The project planning area is identical to the water service area, which is the bounds of the City Limits in 2006. A map of this boundary is shown below.

An increase in the service area would have to include annexations by the City into Washington County, Virginia. There have been recent discussions of such annexations but, for the purpose

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of this plan, it will be assumed that the Bristol City Limits remain constant throughout the planning period. Changes in the City Boundary would affect both the City Plan and the Washington County Plan. If the Washington County Plan addresses all areas outside the city limits, then all areas in and around the City of Bristol should be covered by a plan.

It should be noted that the BVU water treatment plant supplies water in a bulk purchase arrangement to the Washington County Service Authority. This water would be the supply for the southwestern end of Washington County, adjacent to the Bristol Planning and Service Area. This service area should also be accounted for in the Washington County water supply plan.

IV. Evaluation of Existing Water Supply

A. Existing Water Source Information 9VAC 25-780-70

This section includes information on the existing water sources, including reservoirs and interconnections, in accordance with regulation 9VAC 25-780-70.

Section A The City of Bristol utilizes one primary water source and operates a water treatment plant (WTP) located in Washington County, Virginia. The WTP uses an intake on , which is provided water from the Middle Fork and South Fork .

The water plant is located approximately 10 miles from the City limits of Bristol. While South Holston Lake itself is only 6 miles from the City limits, the intake and water treatment plant are located much further upstream.

The BVU water treatment plant was built in 1954 with a 5 MGD capacity and is located at the intersection of State Route 677 (Watauga Road) and State Route 902 approximately 3 miles southeast of the Town of Abingdon. The WTP was expanded in 1978 to 10 MGD and is currently producing approximately 3.5 Million Gallons of water each day.

The Water Treatment plant is a conventional water treatment plant utilizing high rate filtration at 4 gpm/sq.ft. The related components of the water plant are shown below.

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§ Raw Water Intake § Flash Mix Basin § Flocculation Basins § Sedimentation Basins § Filters § Clearwell § High Service Pumps § Chemical Feed Systems Ø Chlorination System, Carbon Feed System, Fluoride Feed System, Coagulant Feed System, Acid & Caustic Soda Feed System, Orthophosphate Corrosion Inhibitor Feed System, and Polymer Feed System The above components comprise the major processes that occur at the WTP. Of these, the most important with respect to the water supply plan is the raw water intake.

The raw water intake is located at the upper end of the South Holston Lake near the confluence of the South Fork of the Holston River and Fifteen Mile Creek. The concrete intake structure is elevated approximately 110 feet above the lake floor and is equipped with intakes at five different elevations (1724 feet, 1710 feet, 1696 feet, 1680feet, and 1668 which is the river elevation). Dual vertical turbine type pumps each rated 7,000 gpm @ 325 feet TDH are provided at the raw water intake pump station. The discharge piping from each pump is equipped with a pump control valve, shut-off valve and pressure gauge. The pumps are controlled from the water treatment plant via a telemetry system. An alarm system is provided to alert operators of a problems with the raw water pumps.

Section B There are no groundwater sources in use for the City of Bristol water system.

Section C & D South Holston Lake (Reservoir) is an artificial lake created by the Tennessee Valley Authority on the South Fork Holston River, a tributary of the . The South Holston is located in Washington County, Tennessee extends 24 miles northeasterly into Virginia. The reservoir serves multiple purposes, including flood control, power production, aquatic ecology, and drinking water reservoir.

Water levels in the reservoir vary about 23 feet on average during normal years to provide capacity for flood storage and augmentation of the flow of water during the drier seasons of the year. The power generation capacity is about 38.5 Megawatts. Construction on the dam began in 1942 but was halted due to World War II until 1947. The dam was completed in 1950 and is 1,600 feet long and 285 feet high.

The minimum rate of flow at the dam is 58 MGD, calculated by the Tennessee Valley Authority at the time the dam was constructed. TVA controls the rate at which water is released from the South Holston Lake Reservoir. These decisions are made by the operators at the TVA dam and are

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based on maintaining public safety, promoting navigation, controlling floods, supplying power needs, and adjusting for seasons. TVA is aware of the 3 water withdrawals on the lake and makes an effort to keep the water levels as constant as possible within each season. However, there is no contractual or regulatory obligation for TVA to maintain water levels for drinking water supply.

The BVU water treatment plant does not have a withdrawal permit. The water plant was built prior to the Virginia State Water Control Board program that issued such permits. The capacity of the South Holston Lake Reservoir is 241 billion gallons, according to the VDH Waterworks Description Sheet.

The VDH Waterworks Description Sheet is included in the appendix. This information is compiled by the Virginia Department of Health Office of Drinking Water and is updated as the City makes significant changes to the water system. The sheet contains specific information about water treatment, storage, pumping, and distribution within the City of Bristol. Information about the water supply is limited to a mention of the intake structure and raw water pumping system.

The original application from Bristol to TVA, dated June 1949, to construct the water plant is included in the appendix. The related approvals and subsequent expansions are also noted in this file. TVA approved construction of the plant for its current 10.0 MGD capacity. TVA noted that the normal pool for the reservoir is 1729 feet and the record low water level at the BVU intake was 1672 feet (year 1925). The BVU intake is 1680 feet at the reservoir intake and 1668 feet at the Fifteen Mile Creek low water intake. Based on this information, during record drought the intake may not be able to withdraw sufficient water from the reservoir but may be able to withdraw from the creek.

There are no specific details regarding permission for BVU to use the reservoir for water withdrawal purposes. During the design phase, TVA evaluated whether the intake structure conformed to the TVA Act guidelines and determined that it did conform. There has been no other communication regarding operation of the intake between TVA and the City of Bristol.

Section E There are no known self-supplied water users of 300,000 GPD or greater in Bristol, Virginia, for non-agricultural use. Bristol has the benefit of a small boundary in comparison to a county or planning district and is more able to identify its water users.

Section F There are no known self-supplied water users of 300,000 GPD or greater in Bristol, Virginia, for agricultural use. Bristol has the benefit of a small boundary in comparison to a county or planning district and is more able to identify its water users.

Section G The City of Bristol operates a secondary water system at Clear Creek Golf Course on the north end of the City. This system is supplied with water from Washington County Service Authority.

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The economics and logistics of installing a water line from the City system to the golf course system were not feasible when compared to the costs of purchasing water from WCSA.

The WCSA draws its water for this sub-system from BVU at the Jonesboro tanks through a bulk purchase water meter. So, essentially, the water is still being supplied to the Clear Creek GC system by the BVU water treatment plant. To simplify the calculations further in this report, the current and future customers in the Clear Creek system will be included in the BVU system.

BVU is contractually required to sell/make available a minimum of 12 million gallons per month to the Washington County Service Authority. The volume of water delivered each month to the Clear Creek waterworks is subtracted from the total water volume purchased by the Washington County Service Authority each month. Therefore, the design capacity of this waterworks is ultimately based on a portion of the 10 MGD permitted capacity of the City of Bristol waterworks.

Other potential water sources for the City of Bristol include interconnections to Washington County, Virginia and Bristol, Tennessee. Both connections are primarily intended for BVU to sell water to its neighbors but could be used to purchase in the event of an emergency. It should be noted, however, that if such emergency situation were drought, neither of the neighboring sources would be able to spare any water since both draw water from South Holston Lake at different locations.

Section H BVU is contractually required to sell/make available a minimum of 12 million gallons per month to the Washington County Service Authority, as noted above. This is the only large water user from outside the planning area. There is no maximum in the contract, except that BVU cannot supply more than the 10 MGD available from the water plant, minus its own water needs.

Section I There are no agricultural water users of 300,000 GPD or greater within the City limits of Bristol. All customer accounts are separated in the BVU billing system as residential, commercial, or industrial. No residential account has ever reported 300,000 gallons (other than customer leaks) and all commercial and industrial use is accounted for, none of which is agricultural in nature.

Section J The City is not aware of any small water well users within the City limits. The City water system dates back to 1880, according to City historians. As the City expanded its borders and service area, existing well users were required to connect to the City system. When the current City boundary was established, it was determined that all residents within the City limits were connected to the public water system.

The City of Bristol Building Inspection Office requires all new construction to be connected to the BVU water system or a permit will not be issued. The majority of recent connections have been within subdivisions, which are required by City and State Code to provide a connection to the BVU

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water system.

In the event a homeowner wished to construct a new house within the city limits of Bristol and was physically unable to connect to the BVU water system, the Washington County Health Department would assist in locating a well site, permitting the well, and recording the information. No such information is on record at the Washington County Health Department offices.

Section K No source water assessment plan has been performed for the City of Bristol water system.

B. Existing Water Use Information 9VAC 25-780-80

This section includes information on existing water use information, including current population and usage data, in accordance with 9VAC 25-780-80

Section A The BVU water treatment plant produces an average of 3.5 Million Gallons of water per day (MGD) and meters an average of 3.0 MGD to its customers. The 10 largest customers consume approximately 0.9 MGD of this total. There are 1,114 Commercial accounts, 7 industrial accounts, and 6,791 Residential accounts for a total of 7,914 water users.

Section B The following are the key statistics for the City of Bristol, Virginia, water service area. The City of Bristol is the only community water system served in the planning area. The information below shown is based on calendar year 2001-2005 information and December 2005 connection data. [MG = Million Gallons, MGD = Million Gallons Per Day]

Section B Part 1 Population 17,308 2004 U.S. Census

Section B Part 2 BVU water system connections 7,914 Total

Section B Part 3 Average Daily Raw Water Withdrawn 3.70 MGD Peak Daily Raw Water Withdrawn 3.94 MGD Maximum Permitted Daily Withdrawal 10.00 MG Maximum Permitted Monthly Withdrawal 300.00 MG Maximum Permitted Annual Withdrawal 3,650.00 MG

Section B Part 4 Average Monthly Treated Water used by customers 104.91 MG

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Average Annual Treated Water used by customers 1,280.00 MG

Section B Part 5 Peak Daily Treated Water used by customers 3.72 MGD

Section B Part 6 There are no known self-supplied water users of 300,000 GPD or greater in Bristol, Virginia, for non-agricultural use. Bristol has the benefit of a small boundary in comparison to a county or planning district and is more able to identify its water users.

Section B Part 7 There are no known self-supplied water users of 300,000 GPD or greater in Bristol, Virginia, for agricultural use. Bristol has the benefit of a small boundary in comparison to a county or planning district and is more able to identify its water users.

Section B Part 8 The City is not aware of any small water well users within the City limits. As the City expanded its borders and service area, existing well users were required to connect to the City system. When the current City boundary was established, it was determined that all residents within the City limits were connected to the public water system.

Section B Part 9 The BVU water system has a current total of 7,914 connections to the system. these are further disaggregated below.

Residential 6,791 Commercial/Light Industrial 1,114 Heavy Industrial/Bulk 7 Military 0

Water used in production process includes water lost during backwash or cleaning operations at the water treatment plant. This water amounts to approximately 0.20 MGD.

The existing water system currently accounts for 72% of the water produced. BVU has been working on improving the system accountability by allocating approximately $400,000 in each year’s budget to replacing old galvanized water lines. This is included in the BVU Capital Improvements Plan, updated in 2002. This plan will be revised in 2007 and every 5 years thereafter.

The Virginia Department of Health considers a water loss accountability of less than 70% to be a “Significant Deficiency” for a waterworks. BVU is currently above this level and has not been notified by VDH of any regulatory deficiency.

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A majority of the problems with system accountability stem from the purchase of the Goodson water system. This system was owned by the Washington County Service Authority and consisted 1,800 customers and galvanized & cast iron pipes. The system was located within the City’s boundary and was transferred after the last annexation. BVU’s accountability was near 90% until this system was added, reducing accountability to below 65%. BVU’s efforts have returned accountability to over 70% but there is still work to be done.

BVU has recently begun installing new fiber optic-based telemetry at all critical water sites, including the WTP, tanks, PRVs, and pump stations. This telemetry will connect all the water treatment and distribution system which can then be operated via a Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) system. This will further aid in allowing BVU to identify weak spots in the distribution system, helping to improve accountability.

Section B Part 10 The in-stream beneficial uses of the South Holston Lake reservoir include flood control, power production, and aquatic ecology of the South Fork Holston River. This was the intent of TVA when the reservoir was created. Subsequent uses include recreational activities such as boating, fishing, and swimming. Hiking and biking trails have been constructed along the river as scenic byways. There are also some agricultural uses in Washington County, Virginia, including watering cattle and other livestock.

The water treatment plant intake does not interfere with flood control or power production at the dam, in accordance with the TVA Act.

Section C There are no known self-supplied water users of 300,000 GPD or greater in Bristol, Virginia, for non-agricultural use. Bristol has the benefit of a small boundary in comparison to a county or planning district and is more able to identify its water users.

Section D There are no known self-supplied water users of 300,000 GPD or greater in Bristol, Virginia, for agricultural use. Bristol has the benefit of a small boundary in comparison to a county or planning district and is more able to identify its water users.

Section E The City is not aware of any small water well users within the City limits. The City water system dates back to 1880, according to City historians. As the City expanded its borders and service area, existing well users were required to connect to the City system. When the current City boundary was established, it was determined that all residents within the City limits were connected to the public water system.

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C. Existing Resource Information 9VAC 25-780-90

This section includes information on existing resources, including a description of current geologic, hydrologic and meteorological conditions, in accordance with 9VAC 25-780-90.

Section A

Hydrologic Conditions

As noted above, the raw water intake is located at the upper end of the South Holston Lake near the confluence of the South Fork of the Holston River and Fifteen Mile Creek. The drainage area for this basin is 573 square miles, generally northeast of the raw water intake in the South Fork Holston River Valley. This is shown in figure 2 below.

Figure 2. Drainage Area Map

The drainage area for the BVU WTP raw water intake is comprised of primarily mountainous terrain. Some industrial development has occurred within the watershed, developing primarily along the Interstate 81 corridor.

There are 3 other raw water withdrawals within the watershed above the BVU intake. These include Washington County Service Authority WTP, Thomas Bridge Water Company, and the Town of Marion WTP. These WTPs will all discharge backwash water into the river.

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There are 4 municipal wastewater treatment plant discharges in the watershed. These include Damascus WWTP, Glade Spring WWTP, Town of Chilhowie WWTP, and the Town of Marion WWTP. In addition, the Chilhowie WTP discharges backwash water from its spring water source and the Hutton Branch WTP discharges backwash water from its well water source. In addition to those, there are 5 elementary schools that utilize package WWTPs to treat and discharge wastewater.

There are some industries located along the Middle and South Fork Holston Rivers in Marion and Chilhowie. Contamination of the river from spills at these various industries is a possibility that is always considered by the WTP operators. Fortunately, the time to provide a warning from such a spill to the WTP is sufficient to shut down raw water operations for short time if necessary.

Geologic Conditions As noted above, the drainage watershed for the BVU intake is comprised of mountainous terrain and some development. Southwestern Virginia is noted for its Karst geology. While some Karst formations exist within the Holston Rivers' drainage watershed, Karst is not the predominant formation.

The geologic conditions range from hard limestone formations to loose shale. Some mining activity exists in the watershed, which is primarily limestone quarries.

There are no geologic faults within the drainage shed. Earthquake history in the area is virtually non-existent. The nearest fault line is located to the north in Pulaski County, Virginia.

Meteorological Conditions

The primary meteorological element to be considered in this Plan is precipitation and its effect on stream flow. Information was gathered on precipitation and stream flow data, where available, and is included in the Appendix.

The National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) compiles nationwide data on precipitation. There are numerous rain gauge sites throughout the United States. The NOAA data indicate that the average rainfall in Virginia is 42.55 inches annually. Despite recent droughts, the 100 year trend is an increase in rainfall by 0.30 inches annually.

Precipitation data influencing these streams above the BVU water intake include the Marion, Chilhowie, and Damascus gauges. These gauges report the following information;

Gauge Annual Rainfall (avg) Marion 43.57 in Chilhowie 42.78 in Damascus 46.08 in

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The Damascus rain gauge receives a statistically greater average amount of rainfall than the Virginia statewide average. The other gauges support the average very well.

As noted in previous sections, the Middle Fork and South Fork of the Holston River are the primary tributaries of South Holston Lake, the BVU water source. Stream gauge information provided by USGS indicates that the Middle and South Fork Holston River Valley maintain steady flow throughout the year and this flow is predictable. The rivers has gauges identified below:

Gauge Number Location USGS 03471500 S F Holston River at Riverside, near Chilhowie, VA USGS 03473000 S F Holston River near Damascus, VA USGS 03474000 M F Holston River at Seven Mile Ford, VA USGS 03475000 M F Holston River near Meadowview, VA

These gauges provide information on river level and discharge that can be used by the WTP operators to predict lake levels. USGS provides a real-time online link to the gauges that can be utilized by water plant operators to determine drought and/or flood trends at different times of the year.

The Following Sections will be Completed at a Later Time

V. Needs Assessment and Alternatives

A. Projected Water Demand Information 9VAC 25-780-100 B. Statement of Need and Alternatives 9VAC 25-780-130

VI. Water Demand Management A. Water Demand Management Information 9VAC 25-780-110 B. Drought Response and Contingency Plans 9VAC 25-780-120

VII. Future Funding

VIII. Conclusions and Recommendations

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