McKay Springs and Several Other Alternative Water Sources Discussed at Town Council Work Session

Based on the findings of CHA Consulting, Inc., in their investigation of McKay Springs as an alternative source of water for the town of Front Royal, it is clear to them that the resource would be supplementary, giving the town much needed assistance during a drought, but it would not fully replace the town’s current resources, especially if ever the Shenandoah River ceases to be an option for any interval of time. On the evening of Monday, February 3, beginning after 7 p.m. when the Town Council came out of a closed session in which they evaluated candidates for the Planning Commission, in the Front Royal Town Hall at 102 East Main Street, Stephen Steele of CHA spoke to the council of the three targets his people have established at the site as potential wells that could service, in part, the needs of the town.

Town Council comes out of a closed session for a work session on the evening of Monday, February 3. Royal Examiner Photo Credits: Brenden McHugh.

It is a situation in which considerable amounts of money must be extended to get the kind of answers the council needs to proceed with the project. So far, CHA has conducted a resistivity study, determining the ease with which electrical currents are transmitted and analyzing geologic structures, more specifically, bedrock and soil interface and any fractures or voids. However, other considerations remain to be determined, such as whether these three targets would be exhausting the same area of the withdrawal instead of maximizing the withdrawal through a diversity of underground sources. In the case that these wells are drilled and they become a supplementary alternative for the town, fifty-five percent of the yield can be taken, as opposed to the ten percent of the flow that the Department of Environmental Quality allows to be withdrawn from the Shenandoah River or surface water in general.

Stephen Steele of CHA Consulting, Inc. engages with the council about their options pertaining to McKay Springs and several other sources as viable alternatives for water.

The meeting progressed smoothly under the moderation of Vice Mayor Amber Veitenthal in the physical absence of Mayor Lori Cockrell, who was present virtually. As both the mayor and vice mayor underlined, this is an ongoing discussion that has been a focus for past councils and will likely yield no quick, easy solutions, although many would prefer answers delivered yesterday. As Veitenthal pointed out, the work the council is currently performing on this issue is a favor done to any future council that must assume this burden. Being a tough realist, she admitted she will likely no longer be serving by the time this problem is expedited. Other possible alternatives presented by Steele were an interconnect with the city of Winchester, intake from the North Fork of the Shenandoah River, and quarries from which there is no DEQ limit on withdrawal. Pertaining to the North Fork, a point was made by Steele about town ownership of the site, which resonated with the council. Especially if a facility is built there, it is crucial that the town has a permanent claim to the site so that continued withdrawal is guaranteed.

Planning Director and Zoning Administrator Lauren Kopishke presents to the council two applications, one for a special-use permit and the other for a rezoning.

With the understanding that CHA would respond to the council’s direction with further information in a week’s time, the meeting progressed to new business. They considered the impact of proposed multi-family apartments on Royal Lane, specifically how the development would affect traffic for vehicles exiting the street to return to John Marshall Highway and whether a connection between Royal Lane and Remount Road might be feasible. They considered rezoning property on West Strasburg Road from commercial to residential, a request from Habitat for Humanity for a waiver of utility connection fees on Osage Street, an FY25 budget amendment, and acceptance of a bid for the 8^th Street bridge replacement project, and they considered a proposed ordinance amendment to the administration of government, governing details of how meetings are conducted, after which they proceeded to another closed session to discuss the town manager position.