Contaminants could make their way into Lake Gaston, forcing officials to cut off water from there up to two years
By Aaron Applegate
The Virginian-Pilot
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Massive flooding near a proposed uranium mine in south-central Virginia could temporarily contaminate Virginia Beach's water supply, a city study released Tuesday found.
City officials oppose mining a Pittsylvania County hilltop rich in uranium, fearing a hurricane or tropical storm could destroy landfill-like containers holding radioactive waste and flush contaminants into Lake Gaston, a main source of city water.
The state is exploring lifting a 29-year ban on uranium mining for the Pittsylvania project, about 200 miles from Virginia Beach.
Mine opponents seized on the study to buttress claims that uranium mining is dangerous. Supporters criticized the study for not evaluating the likelihood of a massive flood and for not including Lake Gaston in the study area.
The $437,000 study undertaken by the Michael Baker Corp. engineering firm found that a large reservoir upstream of Lake Gaston would trap as much as 90 percent of radioactive waste. The remaining contaminants could make their way into Lake Gaston, forcing officials to cut off water from there up to two years.
Not all city water comes from Lake Gaston.
"It's not Armageddon, but turning the water supply off for a year wouldn't be good," said Tom Leahy, director of public utilities. The main damage would be upstream of Lake Gaston, he said.
The city didn't have enough money to include Lake Gaston in the $437,000 study, he said. The study is based on what would happen to Kerr Reservoir, which flows into Lake Gaston.
The City Council agreed Tuesday to spend $165,000 on another study that would include Lake Gaston. City officials said they will ask Chesapeake and Norfolk to help pay. Water from Lake Gaston partially serves Virginia Beach, Chesapeake and Norfolk.
Read more:
http://www.homeland1.com/disaster-preparedness/articles/966300-Study-warns-of-risk-if-proposed-uranium-mine-floods-in-Va
