SERVICE
The Town of Amherst provides municipal water service to residents and businesses within and just outside the Town’s corporate limits according to the system map that can be accessed here. Water service may be initiated by setting up an account by contacting Town Hall 174 S. Main Street, Amherst, VA 24521.
All water users are billed monthly. For billing questions call 434-946-7885.
If you encounter a leak in your building, you should turn off the shut-off valve normally located just inside the building and this will stop the flow of water. Please contact a plumber to investigate any private plumbing problems before calling the Town.
Should you notice water leaking from Town water mains (i.e. in the street) or if there is a distribution system problem call 434-946-7885.
If the problem occurs outside normal business hours, please call 946-9300.
SYSTEM DESCRIPTION
The Town’s goal is to provide its residents and business operators with a safe, dependable and low cost supply of drinking water. The quality of the Town’s water must meet state and federal requirements administered by the Virginia Department of Health.
The source of the Town’s drinking water is the Buffalo River, a surface water source located in the upper middle subbasin of the James River. The Town of Amherst Water Treatment Plant is a conventional surface water filtration plant. At various points in the treatment process chemicals are added to the water. Aluminum sulfate and soda ash are used to remove contaminants dissolved in the water. Chlorine is added to disinfect the water. Fluoride is added to the water to promote strong teeth. Carbon is added to improve the taste and odor of the water. Lime and orthophosphate are added to the water to make it less corrosive. The water travels through a series of mixing chambers, then into settling chambers where contaminants and suspended matter settle out. The water is then filtered before being pumped to the distribution system.
As water travels over the surface of the land or through the ground it dissolves naturally occurring minerals and can pick up substances referred to as contaminants. Water from surface sources is treated to make it drinkable while groundwater may or may not have any treatment. All drinking water, including bottled drinking water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that water poses a health risk. More information can be obtained by calling the Environmental Protection Agency’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791.
The Town’s municipal water system includes one water treatment plant with a total production capacity of 1,000,000 gallons per day, two 1,000,000 gallon storage tanks, and many miles of transmission and distribution piping. If you would like to tour the Water Treatment Plant, call 946-1267 for an appointment.
CONNECTION AND AVAILABILITY FEES
The schedule for water connection (construction) and availability (impact) fees can be found in Section 17-12 of the Town Code.
PLANS AND REPORTS
2017 Water Treatment Plant Sedimentation Basin Project Drawings
Town of Amherst Water Lines and Sanitary Sewer Details