Albemarle County, VA… October 20, 2025… Progress continues on Rivanna Water & Sewer Authority’s (RWSA) replacement raw water line from the Ragged Mountain Reservoir to the Observatory Water Treatment Plant.
Contractors will perform several controlled blasts on private property north of Reservoir Road in Albemarle County. Rivanna has coordinated these efforts with the property owners. Blasting is needed to help break and excavate rock more efficiently. All work has been carefully and conservatively designed by RWSA’s consultant engineer to protect property. Blasting permits are obtained from the Albemarle County Fire Marshall prior to detonation.
Blasting is scheduled to start on Wednesday, October 22, 2025, 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.
Project Background
Over the next five years, RWSA will invest more than $300 million to enhance our urban raw water storage capabilities, raw water transmission pipelines, and transmission pipelines for finished water (treated drinking water). The purpose of these projects is to improve the capacity, redundancy, and resiliency of our drinking water systems. Doing so will help prevent unplanned outages and ensure residents have a constant, reliable, clean supply of water at their tap.
The Ragged Mountain Reservoir to Observatory Water Treatment Plant Raw Water Line Project is a critical component of the Community Water Supply Plan. The project aims to replace two aging 18″ raw water pipes that currently transport raw, untreated water from the Ragged Mountain Reservoir to the Observatory Water Treatment Plant with a single 36″ pipe. The existing pipes are 70-100+ years old. A detailed routing study for this project was completed in 2021, and easement acquisitions were completed in 2024.
Thalle Construction Company was awarded the project in 2024. The project’s total cost is $61.5 million.
Construction Progress
- December 2024 – Notice to proceed was issued to the contractor
- January 29, 2025 – A public information meeting was held to inform nearby residents about the upcoming project
- March 4, 2025 – The contractor began clearing trees along the pipeline’s future path
- May 27, 2025 – Hereford Drive was closed between McCormick Road and Stadium Road to install the new 36″ pipe under the road.
- August 8, 2025 – Hereford Drive was repaved and reopened to traffic.
- August 18, 2025 – Controlled blasting occurred in a wooded area on UVA property between Hereford Drive and Fontaine Avenue
- September 4, 2025 – Controlled blasting occurred north of Fontaine Avenue.
- September 8, 2025 – Pipeline installation began under Fontaine Avenue.