Pandora and her Box

By Charlie Houston

Zeus directed that Pandora be created as Earth’s first human female. He imbued her with many fine attributes—beauty, intelligence, grace and so forth. Zeus, like many Greek gods, enjoyed stirring up earthly trouble and watching the ensuing spectacles. In Pandora’s case, he also gave her a deep curiosity. He sent her a jar, which later was usually called her “box.”

As expected, Pandora soon opened that box and a host of evils surged out. One of them was Apate, goddess of illusions and deceptions. Her fellow escapee from the box was Dolos, god of deception and guile. Both were associated with strife, and that brings us to 2025.

Strife Reigns in Loudoun

 About six months ago, some residents of the Waterford/Paeonian Springs met with Board of Supervisors Chair Phyllis Randall. The group began the meeting by listing many significant reasons why they opposed a County plan called the “Paeonian Springs and Waterford Interconnected Community Water and Wastewater Systems project.” That’s such a mouthful that even bureaucrats haven’t condensed it into an acronym, but I can: PSWICWWS. 

The County then hosted a public meeting on October 18. The room was packed, mostly with opponents to PSWICWWS.  

The Tail Wags the Dog

A handful of residents in Paeonian Springs lack decent sewage service and a similar handful in Waterford have a problem with water quality or quantity. Trying to get exact numbers has not worked, but we estimate that about 27 houses are impacted. Together, there are around 280 lots in the two villages.  

The Project is the Problem

The PSWICWWS project is a grotesque scheme to help those 27 houses by building a $60 million utility project that connects the villages via 2.5 miles of piping in new trenches along Clarkes Gap Road, constructs a water plant and expands the existing sewer plant in Waterford. It could lead to residents being forced to connect, which could cost each of them some $18,000 or more in Waterford (only for water) and $36,000 in Paeonian Springs (for water and sewer.)

Why “grotesque?” Start with the possible costs to residents. The County has the legal power to force people to connect, even against their will. The plan includes five or six massive wells on what’s now private property, but the government’s power of eminent domain could trump individuals’ property rights. Chair Randall assured the crowd that the she’s loathe to use eminent domain, and that connecting would be voluntary. That’s sweet to hear, but a verbal promise could be reversed at any time, such as when PSWICWWS arrives at a go—no go point. 

Worse, we believe that those big wells will extract 600,000 gallons of water per day from an aquifer that’s already up to forty feet below normal. Currently the villages rely on septic drainfields, where the discharge is filtered as it seeps downward. This recharges the aquifer. Under PSWICWWS, though, discharge would be piped away to the Potomac. Thus, no recharging and further depletion of our water resources.

Impressions of a Meeting

A homeowner who may be affected had a clear, cynical take on the October 18 public meeting run by the County: I found the politicians to be defensive and disingenuous. Phyllis is personable and says all the right things to make others feel heard and validated, but the reality is they are only considering a solution to the problem that will require eminent domain! So, I can’t trust her when she says that is a last resort. Finding a solution begins with defining the problem/question, and that hasn’t been done.

Supervisors Randall and Caleb Kershner get credit for standing before a clearly skeptical group. Randall handled it with her usual aplomb but Kershner seemed tense, angry, hostile, disrespectful. Ironically, he had begun by urging everyone to “keep an open mind,” but his mind seemed closed.

Bureaucrats

I’ve dealt with many of them over the years, often in approving development plans. All of them were characteristically pleasant, some were really smart, some weren’t. The ones assigned to PSWICWWS were pleasant and intelligent: Ernie Brown and Scott Finchman. 

They were also skilled in presenting the project in a benign manner and soothingly deflecting criticism. Still, it’s difficult to get past the fact that they are promoting PSWICWWS and we oppose it.

WPG

After PSWICWWS hit the news, a group of citizens were dismayed at what it could mean for them, and formed the Waterford Preservation Group. Since its concern is both villages, property along Clarkes Gap Road and nearby areas, a broader name would have been more accurate. But it is what it is.

Dueling Surveys

WPG’s website (SavetheBywy.org) includes an introduction to surveys that ask if the reader supports or opposes the massive project. Results? Over 95% opposed. The County had run an earlier survey that showed 77% approval. How could the results be so diametrically opposed? The introduction to WPG’s survey included the potential costs to residents, while that was probably omitted in the County survey. Is there a way to reconcile the differing results? I doubt it, so just look to the intensity and extent of citizens’ opposition.

The Public shoulda been involved much earlier. When I was in my twenties in Atlanta, I somehow got on lists for opinion panels. I’m always happy to give an opinion (Duh,) especially for money. One such panel was sponsored by McDonald’s. The fast-food giant was considering adding pizza slices to its menu. After sampling a few, we rendered unanimous verdicts: “It tastes like cardboard” and “Are you kidding?” 

McDonald’s killed the project and that’s what the County should do with the Paeonian Springs and Waterford Interconnected Community Water and Wastewater Systems project,” succinctly PSWICWWS.

A former office building developer in Atlanta. Charlie Houston and his wife live on a small horse farm just south of Waterford. He is content with his well and septic system. He’s not content with the way business interests in Loudoun always seem to trump populist positions.