Fairfax Water has applied to replace an existing water tank in the Seven Corners Apartment complex (6122 Willston Drive).
The application, submitted on Nov. 24, requests that the county grant Fairfax Water the ability to replace a 75-year-old, 200,000-gallon water tank with a 1-million-gallon tank.
“The new tank is necessary to meet Virginia Department of Health storage requirements, improve system resiliency during periods of high demands and emergencies and support future growth in the Seven Corners area, consistent with the Fairfax County Comprehensive Plan,” the application reads.
In a statement supporting the application, a land use attorney representing Fairfax Water said the tank needs to be replaced and expanded because there are several system deficiencies since it took over Falls Church City’s water system in 2014:
“Following the acquisition, the applicant completed an Integrated System Master Plan, identifying system deficiencies in the former Falls Church system, including: low service pressures, fire flow below Fairfax County code requirements, insufficient storage volume to meet [Virginia Department of Health] and American Water Works Association standards and reliability concerns due to the poor condition of the existing tank.”
While the new tank would replace the existing one, it would be moved to a different part of the apartment complex, the application says. It would be placed in the northeast corner of the property next to the Upton Hill Regional Park. The existing tank would be demolished.
Fairfax Water said it intends to relocate the existing playground within the complex and construct a new pedestrian accessway to Upton Hill if the proposal is approved.
The application states that Fairfax Water has entered into an agreement with the Seven Corners Apartments owner to make the new tank “less prominent and less visible” to the surrounding community.
“Its location does not have adequate space for construction or future maintenance of a replacement tank,” the application states. “The existing tank is in a more prominent location than that of the new tank and presents a substantial barrier to the future redevelopment of the property as envisioned in the County’s Comprehensive Plan.”
According to a statement of justification, Fairfax Water selected this particular location for a variety of reasons, mainly because it was at a higher elevation, “provides the most efficient use of existing infrastructure” and will strengthen water service for customers in Fairfax County, the City of Falls Church and Arlington County, which are all served by the Willston Pressure Zone.
The application states that significantly increasing the size of the tank to 1 million gallons will better serve and meet the needs of the Willston Pressure Zone:
“Water tanks must be sized to balance the minimum requirements for usable storage volume while allowing sufficient daily turnover of the water to reduce the ‘age’ of the water stored in the tank. At a minimum, storage must meet maximum daily demands and provide capacity for fire flows and emergencies. The existing tank fails to meet these needs. Based on national standards and best practices, the Willston Pressure Zone requires a minimum of 1 [million gallons] of usable storage.”
The new tank will consist of a steel bowl with a diameter of 74 feet on top of a concrete pedestal that’s approximately 40 feet in diameter and 70 feet in height.
Like other public facilities, the new water tank must be approved through Fairfax County’s 2232 review process, which will determine its compatibility with the comprehensive plan. Fairfax Water is also seeking a special exception, as required by the county’s zoning ordinance.
Photo via Google Maps
