Contractors will be performing several controlled blasts on private property north of Reservoir Road in Albemarle County as work continues on the Rivanna Water & Sewer Authority replacement raw water line from the Ragged Mountain Reservoir to the Observatory Water Treatment Plant.
The blasting is scheduled to start on Wednesday, and may take two to three weeks to complete. The process involves drilling into rock and setting small charges. Heavy mats are laid across the surface to prevent loose debris from leaving the site when working close to homes, structures, and roadways.
Before each blast, a localized siren will go off to signal the impending detonation. Each blast may generate a sound level up to 120 decibels and cause minor localized ground vibrations.
Temporary recreational trail closures at Foxhaven Farm are anticipated and will occur just before the blast happens.
The closures are expected to last no more than 10 minutes.
Over the next five years, RWSA is investing more than $300 million to enhance its urban raw water storage capabilities, raw water transmission pipelines, and transmission pipelines for treated drinking water.
The purpose of the projects is to improve the capacity, redundancy and resiliency of drinking water systems.
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Chris Graham
