Board votes to smooth policy on sharing water

By Justin Faulconer

Published: July 24, 2008

An agreement between the Town of Amherst and Amherst County officials could alleviate water concerns for the town.

The Board of Supervisors voted July 15 to establish new procedures for releasing water from the county’s reservoirs to the town in case of drought.

The county releases stored water from its Mill Creek Reservoir when drought conditions reduce the flow of the Buffalo River, the town’s main supply.

The change means town officials will not be required to declare water restrictions in addition to county restrictions when water is needed from the county’s reservoirs.

Town Manager Jack Hobbs said restrictions on residential and business use is a blow to town revenue, which officials don’t want to see happen unless absolutely necessary.

The new release agreement does require town officials to enact water restrictions, either voluntary or mandatory, if the county has similar restrictions.

Water releases to benefit the town cannot exceed 1 million gallons a day.

The county’s service authority also voted July 15 to sell water to the town on a non-emergency basis as needed.

Town officials could buy the water at 85 percent of the authority’s retail rate.

If the town asks for treated water for 90 days within a year, the authority could reserve a portion of the authority’s water system through the town’s paying an availability fee based on the volume of water.