The Virginia Department of Health Office of Drinking Water (ODW) has awarded the city of Staunton $5.93 million for its Gardner Springs Pump Station project.
The funds are from the office’s allocation of the American Rescue Plan distributed state-wide to 45 ongoing projects and totaling $100 million.
“This infusion of ODW’s ARPA funds frees up debt capacity for other critically needed water projects, benefitting Staunton’s City-wide water program as a whole,” City Manager Leslie Beauregard said.
The station was installed in the 1940s and served as the city’s primary water source. The project will replace the existing pump station with a new station, designed with modern equipment and elevated above the city’s flood plain. The new station will have adequate emergency power to allow full operations without commercial power, and, as is necessary, will draw from the Middle River to provide appropriate security, lighting and communications, greatly increasing overall resiliency across the entire source water system.
Staunton issued a bond for $8.5 million to fund the project, but the ODW funds mean the city will be able to allocate part of the bond funds to other capital improvement projects related to its water system.
A public hearing will be held at 7 p.m. on Aug. 24, 2023, in the Rita S. Wilson Council Chambers regarding the matter.
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Rebecca Barnabi
