In a move local and federal leaders say will open the door to economic development locally, Carroll County officials broke ground Monday on the Regional Water Project that will tie most of the county’s water systems together.

U.S. Congressman Rick Boucher joined Carroll County leaders at Laurel Elementary School, as well as fifth graders Dale Auton and Cole Mosley, to break ground on the project that will also bring public water for the first time to more than 300 homes in Carroll County.

“I am here today as we begin constructing a new water public water system that will open the doors to economic development opportunities in Carroll County. It will be the first public water system for more than 300 homes for this portion of Carroll County, will provide water to the Wildwood Commerce Park, and provide an additional water source for the entire Carroll County public water system, which will together represent the economic future of Carroll County,” Boucher said.

As part of the project, the Carroll County Public Service Authority (PSA) will install more than 20 miles of water lines, two booster pump stations and one water storage tank. The new water system will provide water service for the first time to residents along Poplar Camp Road, Oak Grove Road, Coulson Church Road, Pleasant View Road, Rescue Road, and Little Vine Drive in the Laurel community. Additionally, the Laurel Elementary School and Laurel Rescue Squad will receive water services.

Boucher said the new lines not only provide a sustainable water source for the county, but also will provide water service to the Wildwood Commerce Park, which is being developed at Exit 19 along Interstate 77. The Wildwood development is a commerce park consisting of 130 site-graded “ready to build” acres surrounded by 1,300 additional acres available for development.

Boucher said Carroll’s public water system currently relies on wells for its water supply. As the number of businesses and residents grow locally, the wells may not supply adequate water to meet the county’s long-term needs. To address this problem, Carroll County has been working for several years with Wythe County and the City of Wytheville to establish a connection to the New River Regional Water Authority’s water treatment plant in Austinville as a new water source for the county. At Boucher’s urging, federal funding agency Rural Development has provided a total of $7,280,000 to Carroll County to complete the project. Of that amount, a grant of $2,280,000 has been provided along with a low-interest loan of $5 million from federal stimulus funds. Additionally, the Virginia Tobacco Commission has provided $252,550 for the project, and Carroll County will provide the additional funds necessary for construction.

“The construction that begins today is a significant step forward in our efforts to improve Carroll County’s water infrastructure. Local residents will broadly benefit from not only the safe, clean drinking water and more reliable wastewater service, but also from the increased residential and economic development potential afforded by this project, and I want to commend everyone here for this significant achievement,” Boucher said. “In future years as new businesses locate at Interstate 77 exits and Wildwood Commerce Park realizes its potential for economic growth, and as potentially several thousand jobs are located, the leadership of the Carroll County Board of Supervisors and PSA will be long remembered.”

The Regional Water Project is one in a long line of recent water projects Boucher has worked on with Carroll County recently to expand the county’s water and wastewater infrastructure. Boucher noted he’s helped secure more than $22 million in federal funding this year to assist Carroll County in achieving those goals. In April, Boucher announced the provision of a $1.9 million low-interest loan from Rural Development to construct a new public wastewater system to serve the Wildwood Commerce park at Exit 19. In June, Boucher announced that Rural Development was awarding a total of $1.82 million to provide water and wastewater services to open up the Exit 1 interchange to development in Lambsburg, home of the future Love’s Truck Stop. In September, Boucher also announced $8 million in federal funding to provide water and wastewater services for the first time for the Fancy Gap area, in addition to almost $553,000 to build a new wastewater system for the Cranberry Creek community in Hillsville.

“As a result of our success in securing federal funding, many more residents throughout Carroll County will have access to public water service and wastewater service. Additionally, Carroll County will be laying a strong foundation for future growth in the number of businesses and residents the county’s water and wastewater infrastructure can support,” Boucher said. “Adequate and reliable water and wastewater systems are essential to maintaining the high quality of life in Southwest Virginia as well as to achieving our economic development goals for the region. Carroll County’s new regional water system will enable growth in the number of businesses and residents the county’s water system can serve, significantly benefiting the county’s economic development goals.”

Addressing an assembled group of Laurel Elementary School students and teachers, Carroll County PSA Chairman Sam Dickson said the children will be the county’s next leaders.

“We don’t want them to have to look for a job. We want them to stay here,” Dickson said. “With this project we have fire protection at Wildwood. We want to keep these kids here and give them an opportunity.”

Dickson asked the students where they would go if he told them to get millions of gallons of water. When students answered by saying, “The river,” Dickson noted the project would utilize the massive water source of the New River.

“So Carroll County will go from having 2,000 customers to 3,000 customers and will have an abundant supply of water. The project wouldn’t be possible without Rick Boucher, stimulus money and people working to bring it here,” Dickson said. “This is an exciting time in Carroll County. We’ll be able to hook all our water systems together with the exception of one in Cana.”

Pine Creek District Supervisor Wes Hurst praised the Carroll County Board of Supervisors, PSA and everyone involved that came together for the future of the citizens of Carroll County. He said the Regional Water Project will provide Carroll County with a long-term source for its water needs. He was pleased the announcement was held at Laurel Elementary.

“Today is an exciting day for Carroll County. I can’t think of a better place to have this announcement than in a school,” Hurst said. “You are our future and we want to invest in our future.”

Hurst then invited Auton and Mosley, who were selected by Laurel Principal Alvin Davidson, to help turn the dirt for the project’s groundbreaking.