Charlottesville, VA… July 2, 2025…The Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority (RWSA) is pleased to announce the completion of air piping improvements to the Sugar Hollow Dam.
The Sugar Hollow Reservoir, built in 1947, holds 340 million gallons of water. The reservoir is an essential asset for the community’s urban water system. Sugar Hollow is one of three reservoirs that supply water to the city of Charlottesville and the surrounding area in Albemarle County.
In January 2024, the rubber bladder affixed to the dam’s crest experienced a mechanical issue, allowing additional water to flow downstream. This event caused RWSA to reevaluate the system’s design and redundancies to prevent recurrences.
Last December, RWSA lowered the reservoir to work on the rubber bladder and its piping support systems. The rubber bladder is situated atop the concrete dam and adds an additional five feet of water storage capacity to the reservoir, equivalent to 70 million gallons of water.
RWSA’s contractor has completed the last modifications by welding together new pneumatic air supply lines that feed the rubber bladder. RWSA has reinflated the bladder. Recent rainfall over the previous 24 hours has already helped fill the reservoir.
Following the requirements of RWSA’s permit from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, RWSA will continue to release water from Sugar Hollow to feed the Moormans River.
The Authority continuously monitors, assesses, and enhances the systems and infrastructure linked to the community’s reservoir dams. The current upgrades are a direct result of RWSA’s commitment to maintaining a safe and reliable drinking water supply.