Prince William Water Well Clinic

Public water supplies are tested daily for contaminants.  Private wells are tested when you do it, and you should do it every year. The 2025 Virginia Household Water Quality Program Well Water Testing Clinic will be held in September this year.  You can register and pay for your kit online using the following link: https://tinyurl.com/VAHWQP-PW. If you wish to pay by cash or check, please bring your payment to the Virginia Cooperative Extension Office  in Manassas and see Elesha Young. ( 8033 Ashton Avenue, Suite 105, Manassas, VA 20109)

Water samples will be tested for: iron, manganese, nitrate, lead, arsenic, fluoride, sulfate, pH, total dissolved solids, hardness, sodium, copper, total coliform bacteria and E. Coli bacteria. Sample kits will be $70 this year. Registration and pre-payment must be online by going to https://tinyurl.com/VCE-PW-VAHWQP before all the spaces are filled. I had no trouble following the link and prepaying. For some reason you get receipts from the Virginia Cooperative Extension and the Bursar.

You have to go pickup your sample kit before the sampling date and take the sample according to the directions provided on the morning you will be dropping it off at the Extension office.

Sample Kit Pickup will be held on the following dates:

Saturday, September 13 from 10 AM - 11 AM: Independent Hill Library (14418 Bristow Road, Manassas, VA 20112) or

Monday-Friday, September 15-19 from 9 AM - 4 PM at the Extension office - VCE Prince William Office (8033 Ashton Avenue, Suite 105, Manassas, VA 20109). There will be extended pickup hours on Wednesday, September 17 from 4 PM-7 PM.

All water samples must be taken on Wednesday morning September 24^th 2025 and dropped off at the extension office 8033 Ashton Avenue, Suite 105, Manassas, VA 20109 from 6:30 AM-10 AM.

Sample Kits will include instructions on how to collect your well water samples. Once the samples are received by the laboratory, please allow approximately 5-6 weeks to receive your results. You will receive your results by email.

The number of kits is limited. Pre-payment online is the only way to guarantee you will get a kit. REFUND POLICY: No refunds will be given after 9/19/2025. Any refunds issued will incur a $5 processing fee. Refunds or Transfers to future programs will not be provided if you fail to either pick up your testing kit or drop off your sample on  the sample collection date listed above.

Household water quality is driven by geology, well construction and condition, nearby sources of groundwater contamination, and any water treatment devices and the condition and materials of construction of the household plumbing. To ensure safe drinking water it is important to maintain your well, test it regularly and understand your system and geology. If you have water treatment equipment in your home you might want to get two test kits to test the water before and after the treatment equipment to make sure you have the right equipment for your water and that it is working properly. All participant information is kept strictly confidential

The chart below shows what was found in the  private wells tested test of testing  in Prince William County in 2024. If you have any questions you can contact the Virginia Cooperative Extension directly at (540) 231-3131.

You can also contact Virginia Cooperative Extension anytime by emailing vceprograms@mail.ext.vt.edu.

Flooding is the Impact we must Plan for

Climate change is mostly attributed to human-produced carbon emissions. Though global energy-related CO2 emissions fell during the pandemic, this turned out to be only temporary. While emissions are now declining in 26 countries, these efforts remain insufficient to counteract the growth in global emissions in China and India. Growth in total CO2 emissions for our planet continued to grow at about 1% per year worldwide for the past decade leading to a continued increase in CO2 in the atmosphere and continued global warming. 

The sad truth appears to be that any chance to reduce CO2 emissions enough to prevent climate change is long gone and the changing climate will impact life on earth. If the ice sheet collapses, even if temperatures are restored it will take millennia to restore them. Coastal Virginia and other coastal locations are threatened by rising waters. High rates of land subsidence, combined with sea level rise, means Virginia is experiencing one of the highest rates of relative sea level rise in the United States. Virginia has experienced more than 18 inches of relative sea level rise in the past 100 years. We need to make our communities resilient to the challenges ahead.

The changing climate is bringing more intense hurricanes and nor’easters, more frequent heavy rainfall events and increased frequency of tidal flooding from sea level rise are predicted in the changing climate. The Virginia Coastal Resilience Master Plan contains an analysis of the threat of flooding in Virginia’s coastal region due to sea level rise and changing precipitation patterns. It is a long-range plan to guide activities to mitigate severe and repetitive flooding in Virginia's coastal region. However, what Virginia and other locations have overlooked is that inland flooding is also a significant threat that is much harder to forecast.  We are seeing more inland flooding across the southeast and the United States, and we are unprepared, not just in Virginia.

The relationship between climate change and flooding is complex. Shoreline flooding is the result of land subsidence, sea level rise, building in the flood plain and storm surge. The most well-established connection between climate change and inland flooding is that more warming leads to more intense rainfall, which in turn increases flood severity in the inland areas. Land use changes also contribute to flooding.

There have always been great storms, but our changing climate is increasing storm intensity.  Locally (here in Prince William County Virginia), rainfall averages approximately 44 inches per year, but varies from year to year.  Climate forecasts are for our region to get wetter with more intense rainstorms and droughts to get more severe. (ICPRB). We have also changed the land. Increasing impervious cover from roads, pavement and buildings as our area continues to build out does two things: It reduces the open area for rain and snow to seep into the ground and causes stormwater velocity and quantity to increase. Stormwater runoff increases in quantity and velocity washing away stream banks, flooding roads and buildings carrying fertilizers, oil and grease, and road salt to our rivers and streams.

Rainfall intensification effect reportedly accounts for about one-third of all damages from inland flooding in the U.S. in recent decades. Changes in land use and building in the flood plains for rivers  intensify inland flooding and account for most of the remaining damage. Land use changes that increase impervious cover reduces the open area for rain and snow to seep into the ground and percolate into the groundwater to be stored for later. Instead, almost all the storm water is carried to streams and rivers. The impervious surfaces cause stormwater velocity to increase preventing water from having enough time to percolate into the earth, increasing storm flooding. 

 Increased stormwater volumes and mud flow are a direct result of clearing the land of trees and vegetation and construction activities for buildings and roads. The devastating flooding we’ve seen in Texas and North Carolina’s inland mountain hundreds of miles from any coastline were not expected- there were no plans for notification, evacuation or response. In both instances floodwater carried away entire houses, cars and people and washed out highways, cutting off access and escape routes. 

Prince William County has committed to preparing for the impacts of climate change as part of our goal of becoming a Climate Ready Region by 2030. In line with this commitment, the county staff has concentrated on understanding the susceptibility of our county's people and infrastructure to local climate hazards to meet the community's most pressing needs. The county completed a vulnerability assessment in January 2023. This evaluation was designed to anticipate future conditions that could amplify existing vulnerabilities. 

From 2018 to 2021 Prince William County had 60 reported Swift Water Rescue events and 178 reported VDOT road closures due to intense precipitation and flooding. These were mostly inland events. This was unexpected because the eastern edge of our county is shoreline. Prince William County realized that they need detailed stormwater modeling  to better understand how flooding occurs throughout the County during precipitation events and to better understand the limitations of existing stormwater infrastructure.  

In their recent study, Projected changes in extreme streamflow and inland flooding in the mid-21st century over Northeastern United States using ensemble WRF-Hydro simulations,  Sujan Pal et al stated “The Northeastern United States (which includes Prince William County in their study) has experienced …increases in extreme precipitation events over the past five decades (Melillo et al., 2014, Walsh and Coauthors, 2014, Parr and Wang, 2015a). While the intensities of the most extreme precipitation events (or the heaviest 1% of all daily events) have increased in every region of the contiguous United States since the 1950s, the maximum change in precipitation intensity of extreme events is occurring in the northeast. “

The results of this study indicate an increase in mean (20–25%) and extreme (>40%) precipitation in near future over the northeast (including the Potomac River basin). In addition, water depths resulting from extreme inland flooding may increase more than 100% in some regions. Neighborhood scale projections that they created suggest that the major cities of the northeast and the surrounding areas will likely be at higher flood risk. In turn, extreme precipitation and flooding can pose significant risks to their infrastructures and networks. It is time to focus on climate adaptation. You can read the full paper at the link below.

 

Sujan Pal, Jiali Wang, Jeremy Feinstein, Eugene Yan, Veerabhadra Rao Kotamarthi, Projected changes in extreme streamflow and inland flooding in the mid-21st century over Northeastern United States using ensemble WRF-Hydro simulations, Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies, Volume 47, 2023, 101371, ISSN 2214-5818, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrh.2023.101371

The National Envirothon Competition is Underway

More than 500 students, teachers, chaperones, and guests from the United States, Canada and China have journeyed to Calgary, Alberta, Canada to compete in this year's National Conservation Foundation's (NCF) 2025 NCF- Envirothon competition. This year's theme is “Roots and Resiliency: Fostering Forest Stewardship in a Canopy of Change,” and invites students from across the world to explore forest ecosystems, climate impacts, and sustainable management through hands-on learning and team collaboration.

During the competition, students will work in five key subject areas: soils and land use, aquatic ecology, forestry, wildlife, and current issues. They will have to complete written tests and oral presentations to test their knowledge and skill set. This competition is bringing together students from across the U.S., Canada, and China to build their knowledge and skills in conservation and to foster meaningful connections and conversations with conservationists from across the world. The goal of Envirothon isn't only to foster winners in conservation competitions but also to introduce students to environments they may have been unfamiliar with before.

“We’re thrilled to welcome these outstanding students to Calgary for the 2025 NCF-Envirothon,” said Millie Langley, Envirothon Chair. “This week is about more than competition—it’s about cultivating curiosity, leadership, and a lifelong commitment to conservation. We can’t wait to see the ideas and energy these young changemakers bring to the field.”

In Virginia the Envirothon is run by the Virginia Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts and Virginia’s 47 local Soil and Water Conservation Districts. Each spring there are a series of regional competitions held by the Soil and Water Conservation Districts with help from our volunteers. For the last 11 years Dominion Energy has been the primary sponsor of Virginia’s local, regional and statewide Envirothon with annual funding provided by its Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation.

Virginia sent the winning team from the state competition held last May at Mary Washington University.- Jamestown High School took first place (again), representing Colonial Soil and Water Conservation District, to the NCF-Envirothon International Envirothon in Calgary. Join me in wishing the Jamestown High School team good luck this week.

Lightning Risk and Protection

Last Wednesday night an intense thunder and lightning storm blew through Haymarket where I live. The house and sky rumbled, and the cat sought protection in my lap. Quite the storm- the Washington Post reported that a meteorologist in Maryland posted on X that  26,000 lightning  strikes were detected in the Washington-Baltimore region that night. Despite the anxious cat, I felt snug and safe at home with my lightning protection system and barely let it disturb my TV watching with my husband.

Each year, the Global Lightning Dataset  network detects more than two billion lightning flashes, consisting of both in-cloud (IC) pulses and cloud-to-ground (CG) strokes (Vaisala Xweather 2023). Lightning causes significant damage to land and property. Insurance claims due to lightning in the United States averaged more than $900 million annually between 2017 and 2019 (Insurance Information Institute 2021). Each year, thousands of lightning-triggered wildfires burn millions of acres of land in the United States (National Interagency Coordination Center 2022).

Summer is the peak season for lightning, but it does strike year round. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) 25 million cloud-to-ground lightning strikes occur in the United States each year. Generally speaking lightning strikes are geographically concentrated in the southeast, south and mid-west. Virginia has an annual average over 300.000 lightning strikes a year. Texas is that state with the most lightning strikes a year averaging almost 3 million a year and much smaller Florida 1.4 million strikes a year! 

The creation of lightning is a complicated process. According to NOAA we know what conditions are needed to produce lightning, but there is still debate about exactly how lightning forms. Cloud to ground (CG) discharges, are the most common, but there are other known types of lightning that have no channel to ground.   There is also lightning that originates at the top of the thunderstorm. Lightning from this area is called positive lightning that frequently strikes away from the rain core, either ahead or behind the thunderstorm. It can strike as far as 5 or 10 miles from the storm, and it typically has a longer duration, so fires are more easily ignited. Positive lightning usually carries a high peak electrical current, which is more likely to kill.

The air within a lightning strike can reach 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit, and one ground lightning stroke can generate between 100 million and 1 billion volts of electricity. Lightning is a major cause of building fires, even though highly effective (though not perfect) protection has long been available. In the 1700s Benjamin Franklin (remember the kite and key story) proposed a method of protecting structures from the effects of lightning using elevated rods and down-conductors. His ideas were furthered by the work of Nikola Tesla, Michael Faraday and other scientists to develop and refine the design. 

In 1904, The National Fire Protection Association, NFPA, established the American standard for installation of lightning protection systems now known as NFPA 780- the Standard for the Installation of Lightning Protection Systems.  Experience of the fire-insurance companies showed that if buildings were properly "rodded", they would be practically safe from damage by lightning. Lightning is most likely to hit the highest object, and is also more likely to strike something with a good path to ground, such as a lightning protection system.

Installation of a lightning protection system in conformance with NFPA 780 can cost thousands of dollars depending on the size and shape of the building. Whether it makes economic sense for you depends on many factors such as location, value of the property in dollars and sentiment, insurance and the amount of the deductible, what you can afford and how you feel about lightning. My husband and his brother, who grew up in the same house that was struck by lightning came to different decisions. After seeing a lightning strike at my house that was unnoticed in the house- no damage or even flickering of lights. A properly designed and installed lightning protections system works. I am grateful for the system. 

To provide effective protection for structures, a lightning protection system must include a sufficient number of rods extending above the structure- the high points. These lightning rods, now called air terminals become the preferred strike receptor for a descending step leader from the thundercloud. That rapidly-varying lightning current must then be carried away from the building into the earth through a down conductor system, that will provide the path of least resistance to the flow of current. All nearby metal components of the structure (solar panels, generator, roof vents, water, gas and sewer pipes etc.) must be properly connected to the down-conductor system to minimize the probability of side flashes and ensure the flow of current to the earth. The connections (aluminum cable and copper rods) from the down conductors to the earth must allow the lightning current to flow into the ground without the development of large electrical potential differences on the earth's surface and without creating other hazards.

To verify that an existing system is designed and installed correctly you could have it certified. Certification of a lightning protections system assures that the system meets the standards set forth by NFPA 780 and the Underwriter's Laboratories (UL 96A). If you are going to install a lightning protection system make sure your designer and installer has at least his Journeyman Installers certification from the Lightning Protection Institute, LPI and/or certified by Underwriters Laboratories. Journeyman Installers must pass two levels of tests for LPI Certification. Master Installers must pass a series of four tests and carry a brass card issued by LPI. Annual re-testing is required for continued certification. There is also a Master Installer and Designer designation- that might be the best choice.

You can go the Find a Contractor - Lightning Protection Institute. Likewise you can go to the Underwriters Laboratories website for a list of certified installers. Many counties do not require a building permit to install a lightning protection system. Without the help of the county building department staff you will have to make sure that your system is designed and installed in conformance with NFPA 780 or UL96A there are differences between the standards, but they are similar in many ways.   In addition, you might want to take a look at other installation jobs and make sure that they are as unobtrusive as possible. Aluminum cables are likely going to be run across your roof and down the sides of your house in addition to installing a rod on every gable and at least every 20 feet along a roof span. Check for a valid contractor’s license, references and the Better Business Bureau.

Though copper with 98% conductivity when annealed, is still the preferred material for lightning protection cost has made alloyed metals more typically used today. Aluminum while having only 59% the conductivity of copper is acceptable as a substitute for copper in lightning protection when electrical grade aluminum is used.  Aluminum is subject to corrosion by ocean air or soil, but resistance in other environments can be excellent due to a thin surface layer of aluminum oxide that forms when the metal is exposed to air, effectively preventing further oxidation. Aluminum is also preferred on structures with aluminum trim and gutters to prevent corrosion from the reaction of the aluminum coming in contact with copper wires- add rain to copper and aluminum and you are making a battery.

The lightning protection system must terminate into the earth to dissipate the charge using a copper clad steel cable or rod. The slightly acidic nature of the soil will corrode the aluminum. The choice of material used on the structure is based on cost, and the other materials of construction. The down conductors should be as widely separated as possible and each building must have at least two, but there should be at least one down conductor for each 100 feet of perimeter. My house has four, one on each corner. Usually aluminum is used against the house because copper gutters are not as common these days, aluminum is much cheaper and so bi-metal connectors must be used to make the transitions into the copper clad steel cable in the earth to assure proper grounding and dissipation of the lightning. Bi-metal transition connectors must also be used if the air terminals are copper.

Underground metallic piping, including water piping, well casings, sewer and septic lines must be considered in the design or they are potential points of failure. Lightning arresters should also be installed on the lead-in wire or cable for the electrical supply and bonded to the lightning protection system directly or through  a common ground. NOVEC, my power company, offers to install and maintain a “collar” system at the electrical meter for $10 per month or you can purchase separate surge protectors.

I took this UL image from Hamilton Lightning Protection web site. I used them to reinstall my system

Each year, lightning is the cause of an estimated 17,400 fires 55% occur outdoors (wildfires) and 41% occur inside structures.  According to Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, roofs, sidewalls, framing, and electrical wires are the areas most often ignited by lightning fires. Though a lightning protection system will have little or no effect on how likely it is that lightning will strike in the immediate area, the energy will be conducted directly to ground, without having to go through your house, its internal wiring and electrical equipment and appliances. Protecting your family. Whether it makes sense to install one is a personal decision. Our very high insurance deductible combined with the irreplaceable paper book collection that is the centerpiece of our lives would not survive a fire caused by a lightning strike or the water and mold associated with fire response. So, even with a cost of thousands of dollars, we did install a system almost two decades ago and reinstalled the system when we replaced our roof, recently.

When I saw lightning strike my house, I was watching my husband washing the dishes through the kitchen window. A happy domestic scene, when lightning just struck him. But it didn't, it was captured by the protection system and he did not even notice and soon enough my heart stopped pounding and I could tell him. 

Washington DC- Still Working to become Lead Free

From testing it is known that lead is not present in the water before it enters the DC Water distribution system. The lead comes from either pipes delivering water to the homes (the laterals) or from the household plumbing. The most effective way to minimize exposure to lead is to remove the source of lead.

For decades instead of replacing lead pipes urban water companies, not just DC Water, have used chemicals to control lead and other chemicals from leaching into the water supply. Many at the American Water Works Association and other trade groups have questioned the wisdom of this strategy, there is always some lead leaching and many of us believe that there is no safe level of lead in drinking water.

Lead can cause serious health problems. Lead can cause damage to the brain and kidneys and can interfere with the production of red blood cells that carry oxygen to all parts of your body. The greatest risk of lead exposure is to infants, young children, and pregnant women. Scientists have linked the effects of lead on the brain with lowered IQ in children. Adults with kidney problems and high blood pressure can be affected by low levels of lead more than healthy adults. Lead is stored in the bones and can be released later in life. During pregnancy, the child receives lead from the mother’s bones which may affect brain development and growth. 

In 2001 Washington DC had a lead in water problem much larger than the Flint Michigan “crisis” a decade ago. The problem in Washington DC was sparked by the Washington Aqueduct’s change from chlorine to chloramine in its disinfection process. As in Flint, the change in water chemistry resulted in a disturbance in the bio-film on the pipes which resulted in lead leaching into the drinking water. It is, however; likely that the lead laterals in Washington DC were leaching lead at a lower level all along.

In 2003, the EPA required DC Water to begin an accelerated lead pipe replacement program. The city passed a resolution to fund an accelerated lead pipe replacement program in 2004. This resolution required DC Water to replace all known lead service lines in public space by September 30, 2010, and replace any newly discovered lead service lines within 90 days of discovery. The resolution also required DC Water to encourage customers to replace their private side portion of the lead service lines when the public side is replaced, offering the property owner the same rate as DC Water’s actual cost.

Although the use of lead pipes and fittings was phased out by the 1980’s, the burden of replacing lead pipes on private property has fallen on homeowners.  DC Water’s ownership of the distribution system stops at the property line when the homeowner or building owner becomes responsible. Originally, DC Water management decided that the portion of the lead lateral on private property was not DC Water’s responsibility and would not be replaced at DC Water’s expense. However, it was discovered that replacing only a section can induce a chemical reaction from the addition of other metals, like copper, in new sections of pipe.

In 2019, Washington DC’s internal audit found that there was still measurable amounts of lead in residents’ drinking water.  DC Water had failed to identify and remove all sources of lead in the piping and pumps that deliver water throughout the city. Furthermore, DC Water did not ensure that all sites with lead service lines have been identified, and in the testing that did take place all wards of the city were not equally represented. In short, DC Water and their plan to replace lead service lines has failed the city residents.

from DC Water

DC Water went back to the drawing board and created the Lead-Free DC program to accelerate lead service line replacement and combine all lead reduction efforts under one banner. Unfortunately, it was just ahead of the pandemic, so the program got off to a very slow start and was updated in 2024 to more effectively address the lead problem by combining all programs. At that time DC Water estimated the District of Columbia had almost 42,000 service lines with lead or galvanized-iron pipe. It is their updated goal to replace all of them with copper pipe. So far they have completed less than a quarter of the work, but now they have a nice dashboard. 

Under the Lead-Free DC initiative, there are multiple lead service line replacement programs to help property owners and renters receive a lead service line replacement. Most require qualifying to subsidies based on income and getting prioritized to get on the waiting list.  To find out if your property has a lead service line and what program it may qualify for, enter your address in the Service Inventory Map at this link DC Water Service Information.  You can also reach out to Lead Free DC at 202-787-4044 or lead@dcwater.com to answer any questions you may have. 

Planning for Flooding

 

Land use changes and a changing climate combine to increase flooding and its dangers. After the recent devastating floods in Texas I had dreams about the old air raid sirens that used to be tested at midday in my childhood. In my dream I heard the sirens and just did not know if they were flash flood, tornado, or air raids. I woke up wondering if I should go to the cellar or high ground. Even with all our technology, flash flooding and tornados are extremely difficult to predict and when warning are issued they generally cover a very large area.

This month in Texas there were repeated flash flooding warnings in Kerr County as rain moved in and the river surged, but those warnings did not reach the campers, nor people without cell phones, nor people asleep or who had silenced or opted out of the repeated warnings they received. People died. Last January in Los Angels fire evacuation warnings in the Altadena neighborhood were not sent in time or missent. People died. In Lahaina, Maui two years ago the sirens never sounded when the wildfires approached. People died.

Despite all the advances: text messages sent, social media and mobile apps, broadcast TV and radio messages, NOAA weather radio alerts, outdoor sirens-warning alerts are not effectively reaching people, and if they do we all call 911 instead of having a prepared action plan. Unless we solve this problem, more people will die as the weather patterns responds to changing climate.

The Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC) has been awarded $90,000 from the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation to implement a regional flood awareness and outreach campaign. This effort will deliver clear, consistent messaging across Northern Virginia to help residents, communities, and local governments better understand flood risks and support climate-resilient planning. So that when the disaster comes we- our communities and our selves will have a plan and know what to do. The campaign will use social marketing services to create tailored materials and advertisements that promote public safety and reduce vulnerability to flood damage, based on the framework developed in coordination with local government representatives.

NVRC also received $15,468 to complete additional analysis for an ongoing project developing resilient design guidelines, including a historical rainfall trend analysis and updated climate data based on the latest global climate models. Though, recent work casts doubts on the value of global climate models on the local scale. 

Nonetheless, both efforts aim to build a shared understanding of flood risks across the region, strengthen climate resilience, and enhance public safety by improving the effectiveness of flood hazard education and outreach. As individuals, we need to minimize our risks, have a plan of action for an emergency and keep and eye on the weather. 

Gas Insulated Substation in Nokesville

 Come to an information meeting tonight.

Thursday, July 10 at 6 - 8 PM
Marsteller Middle School
14000 Sudley Manor Dr. Bristow

Dominion Energy is planning an upgrade to the Vint Hill Substation in Nokesville, Virginia, to meet the growing energy demands of data centers in Prince William and Loudoun Counties and maintain compliance with federal reliability standards. The project will involve adding 500 kV equipment, including transformers and Gas Insulated Substation (GIS) technology, as well as new 230 kV infrastructure. The substation's footprint will be expanded on Dominion Energy-owned property in Nokesville, but no new permanent electrical easements are needed. Construction is expected to begin in Spring 2026.

Gas insulated substations use sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) which is the most potent greenhouse gas known to mankind. Over a 100-year period, SF₆ is 23,500 times more effective at trapping infrared radiation than an equivalent amount of carbon dioxide (CO₂). SF₆ is also a very stable chemical, with an atmospheric lifetime of greater than 1,000 years. As the gas is emitted through leak or accidental release, it accumulates in the atmosphere in an essentially undegraded state for many centuries. Thus, a relatively small amount of SF₆ can have a significant impact on global climate change.

All equipment eventually degrades or fails though the modern GIS systems are designed with safeguards from hard earned experience. Today, each compartment housing the live sections of the GIS system is gas tight, with respect to one another. This prevents a leak from emptying all modules at once and ensures that gas monitoring is independent so a leak can be quickly located. These safeguards are designed to minimize the damage when there is a problem with the Gas Insulated Substation. Ultimately a repair will have to be made, a component replaced, or a leak will result in an accidental release of SF₆ .

 It is reported that Dominion Energy has other GIS in Virginia. They have real benefits: In addition to protecting the system components from extreme heat and cold, GIS technology encloses the electrical components within a Faraday cage which shields the system from potential lightning strikes a protection that is growing more important in Virginia as our climate changes and storms increase in intensity. GIS is more desirable as the voltage requirements increase, and land becomes more valuable when data centers proliferate in an area. The footprint of a 765kV conventional substation is very large. The total space required for a GIS is roughly a tenth of that needed for a conventional AIS facility. While the conventional, AIS requires several feet of air insulation to isolate a conductor, SF₆ gas insulation only needs inches, allowing a GIS facility to fit into areas far smaller than that of a AIS facility. A GIS is mainly constructed where real estate space is expensive or scarce.

In North America, substations have predominantly been air-insulated (AIS). In 2023  AIS volumes outpaced GIS volume by nearly a 6:1 ratio. AIS has been favored due to its cost-effectiveness and straightforward installation, making it the preferred choice for numerous applications, as mentioned earlier. However, in this case, data centers are driving the need for a GIS system and all the rate payers will have to bear the additional cost and risk.

Because of the climate risks, there is a move away from sulfur hexafluoride emerging.  Europe is leading the transition with plans to ban SF₆  -based switchgear by 2032; the US is considering following suit- though California has already moved to put a ban in place.

Though Prince William County has a 2030 climate goal to cut greenhouse gas emissions to 50% of 2005 levels or 2.1 million metric tons CO2e (MMTCO2e). Our passion to approve every single data center project that comes before the board for rezoning, special use, or exceptions will ensure that the county can never achieve that goal. Randy Freed of the Sustainability Commission estimates that instead of emissions reducing between 2018-2030, emissions increase dramatically.

Spring is Growing Silent

Over sixty years ago Rachel Carson, who spent most of her career with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service published Silent Spring, a book that examined both the environmental damage and human impact caused by pesticides. Ms Carson especially focused on DDT — the powerful pesticide originally developed to control populations of disease-bearing insects — and the mounting evidence pointing to the devastating effects of its misuse to wildlife and human health.

Silent Spring began with a “fable for tomorrow” – a story using a composite of examples drawn from many real communities where the use of DDT had caused damage to wildlife, birds, bees, agricultural animals, domestic pets, and even humans.  Carson spent over six years documenting her analysis that humans were misusing powerful, persistent, chemical pesticides before knowing the full extent of their potential harm to the whole environment.

The book’s publication in September of 1962 inspired the environmental movement; spurred the development of the field of environmental sciences; and led to the development of the Environmental Protection Agency, sweeping in changes in the laws affecting air, land and water. The publication also inspired the chemical industry to try to influence legislation (prevent regulation of chemical use) through a campaign of disinformation. These battles are still being fought today.

As measured, all over the world, insects are disappearing at a rate of about 1-2% a year. The decline in insects is not limited to just one group. The data collected by the Status of Insects program led by entomologist David Wagner at the University of Connecticut suggests that this decline is global. The Status of Insects program examines hundreds of rigorous, peer-reviewed studies documenting the decline in insect populations.  The vanishing of insects impacts the entire biome, 90% of the more than 10,700 known bird species rely on insects for food during at least part of their life cycle. Declining insects populations result in declining bird populations.

Declining insects also impact our food supply. Bees, butterflies, moths, flies, beetles and several other insects pollinate ¾ of the earths flowering plants and crips. Insects also help dead plants and animal life decay; and feed on feces-cleaning up the earth. In sects feed many animals we eat, such as trout, almon and turkeys. Also, insects feed some of us directly. Insects also keep each other under control by feeding on each other. The complicated web of insect life is essential for the survival of land-based life on our planet. Mankind has interfered with all of this.

We have also purposefully and accidentally imported thousands of species of plants, insects and disease from other lands into our communities. These foreign species have decimated many native plant communities on which local insects feed and in turn eliminating the local insects for the animals and birds that feed on them. Research has found that in places with fewer native plants there were fewer protein and fat rich caterpillars resulted in fewer birds. The entire web of nature is tied together needing all parts to function.

We treat nature as separate parts that can be eliminated at our discretion.  We have disrupted the functioning of the natural food web and then compounded the problem by carving up the natural world into tiny strips and remnants too small and too isolated to support the variety of species required to sustain the ecosystems that support mankind. (from Nature’s Best Hope by Douglas W. Tallamy).

Flint, Michigan (almost) Lead Free

According to a press release from NRDC (the Natural Resources Defense Council),  more than a decade after lead contaminated water was found in Flint, Michigan’s water system, the legal battle to replace lead water pipes is. On July 1, 2025 the State of Michigan submitted a progress report to a federal court confirming that, more than eight years after a court-ordered settlement required Flint officials to replace pipes and restore property damaged in the process, nearly 11,000 lead pipes were replaced and more than 28,000 properties were restored. It was reported by the NRDC that several hundred properties declined the free lead pipe replacement. That is highly irrational.

Outraged by the failure of city, state, and federal agencies to stop the public health emergency of widespread lead contamination, Flint residents and nonprofits sued Flint and Michigan state officials to secure safe water. The result was a landmark settlement in March 2017, under which a federal court in Detroit ordered Flint to give every resident the opportunity to have their lead pipe replaced at no cost to the individual property owner, as well as conduct comprehensive tap water testing, implement a faucet filter distribution and education program, and maintain funding for health programs to help residents deal with the effects of Flint’s tainted water. 

Since 2017, plaintiffs Melissa Mays, Flint-based Concerned Pastors for Social Action, ACLU of Michigan and the NRDC have remained vigilant to hold the city to account for its slow progress in replacing lead pipes and restoring damage done to lawns, sidewalks, and driveways in the process. The group returned to court six times in six years to ensure the city properly managed its lead pipe replacement program and that every eligible resident received the benefits guaranteed to them by the court-ordered settlement in the Safe Drinking Water Act lawsuit.

The Flint water crisis drew attention to lead issues across the U.S. The story of Flint has inspired action in the states, Congress, and even the White House to replace lead pipes so that no other community would face a crisis like Flint residents faced and Washington DC before it. Congress allocated $15 billion to help cities and states identify and replace lead water pipes. Last year, the EPA issued a new federal rule requiring every lead pipe to be replaced in the next ten years. The Trump Administration has not yet agreed to honor the commitment to replace every lead pipe, but a decision is due later this summer. And so, the work continues.

The story burst forth in January 2016 when the Governor of Michigan and the President of the United States declared an emergency in Flint, Michigan to authorized emergency assistance to provide water, water filters, water filter cartridges, water test kits, and other necessary items to address the water crisis. By then the drinking water supply in Flint Michigan had been contaminated for more than a year. The first contaminant to appear were high levels of viruses and bacteria, and inorganic contaminants such as salts and metals which were a result of inadequate treatment of the water, then high level of lead began to appear in homes. Reportedly, the lead was the result of slightly caustic, inadequately treated water leaching lead from the old distribution system pipes.

The problems actually began in 2014 when Flint decided to switch to the Karegnondi Water Authority (KWA) as the City’s permanent water source in a cost saving measure as wholesale water rates from the old Detroit system kept going up- an attempt to support rising maintenance, repair and operating costs in that system. KWA would supply water to the members by building a new pipeline from Lake Huron. While waiting for KWA pipeline to be completed, the City of Flint planned to use the Flint River as a temporary alternative water source.

The Flint Water Treatment staff and their consultants who had previously only dealt with distribution, struggled to meet the Safe Drinking Water Act levels at the water treatment plant. Then residents noticed changes in the smell, color, and taste of the water coming out of their taps. Tests showed high levels of bacteria that forced the city to issue boil advisories. In response, the city upped its chlorine levels to kill the pathogens. This created too many disinfectant byproducts, which are carcinogens and corrosive. Then the corrosive water began leaching lead, other metals and whatever else was in the biofilm on the old pipes into the water in the homes.

Flint’s water department might have been able to avert the disaster by having a corrosion management plan and using additives to diminish the corrosiveness of the water at a negligible cost, but there was an underlying problem that effects not only Flint. For decades instead of replacing lead pipes urban water companies (especially in poor cities) have used chemicals to control lead and other chemicals from leaching into the water supply. Many at the American Water Works Association and other trade groups have questioned the wisdom of this strategy, there is always some lead leaching and many scientists believe that there is no safe level of lead in drinking water.

Most existing lead pipes are over 75 years old, are in the older cities of the east coast and mid-west and should have been replaced in the normal course of preventive maintenance program. Unfortunately, that is not how we operate in the United States. A few cities, including Madison, Wisconsin, and Lansing, Michigan, have taken steps to remove all of their lead pipes. Such projects can cost tens of millions of dollars in small communities.

The work is not truly completed. There are still potentially lead containing plumbing components in residences. However, last month, the Flint City Council voted to support a program to address these issues through a combination of federal grant funding and American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars.

The Council voted to allocate $490,000 in grant funds for critical in-home plumbing improvements. However, a companion resolution proposing a reallocation of ARPA funds not to exceed $510,000 as matching funds for the program was held in committee and has not yet been advanced.

This program is intended to supply real, in-home solutions—replacing outdated pipes, faucets, and water heaters with lead-free components. The Flint In-Home Plumbing Program will provide:

• Home plumbing inspections
• Total pipe replacement for eligible residences
• Outreach and education to prevent exposure