Loudoun County Sanitation Authority (LCSA) members, Sterling Foundation members and Sterling residents attended the groundbreaking of a $9.6 million water main project in Sterling Friday.
The existing water main is too small and is one of the oldest pipes in the LCSA system, said Samantha Villegas, LCSA communications manager.
The first phase of the project, from Route 7 to Holly Avenue, will take approximately nine months. The new water main, twice the size of the old pipe, will be installed on the service road along the west side of Sterling Boulevard.
THE NEW WATER MAIN will improve the water flow north to south through Sterling.
"Residents shouldn’t experience any problems," Villegas said.
The old water main will remain in service throughout construction, to minimize service impacts to individual residents.
If there is a chance water service will be interrupted, the Sterling residents affected will be notified by LCSA. Any interruptions will take place between 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., Villegas added.
LCSA BEGAN this project in 2004 by collecting data and gathering community input.
LCSA worked closely with the Sterling Foundation and its "Main Street in the Making" beautification project.
Loudoun County Supervisor Eugene Delgaudio (R-Sterling), at the groundbreaking, assured residents LCSA would restore the boulevard upon completion of phase one.
LCSA will repave the service road along the west side of Sterling Boulevard, replace any sidewalks disturbed and replace 29 trees that will be destroyed during installation of the new water main, he said.
In addition, LCSA pledged $70,000 to the Sterling Foundation for the planting of 235 additional plants and trees along the median of Sterling Boulevard.
"This project was a model of cooperation from residents and LCSA," said LCSA board member Fred Jennings.
Phase two of the project will run from Holly Road south to Glenn Drive.
The capital improvement project was paid for with availability fees collected from developers when they applied for a new construction permit.