HENRY COUNTY, Va. (Romero Report) — The Henry County Public Service Authority (PSA) secured the county’s future water supply on May 30 by entering into a three-million-gallon water storage agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).

The 50-year agreement ensures that the PSA will have access to the necessary amount of source water to meet future demand, according to a news release.

Following the initial period, the agreement will auto-renew.

“Water scarcity is increasingly becoming an issue for many communities around the world,” said Stuart Bowman, Chairman of the PSA. “Our partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ensures that Henry County will have the necessary resources to continue providing for our residents and to accommodate future growth in our industrial sector.”

A 2023 United Nations World Water Development Report highlighted that global demand for freshwater will exceed the available supply by 40 percent by 2030, the release said.

In 2018, the PSA secured an agreement with USACE to provide three million gallons per day of storage capacity.

Expansion of the PSA’s service area and increased industrial and commercial water usage have driven the need for more capacity, according to officals.

To meet local demand, the PSA says it purchased storage rights from USACE for $904,294.

This agreement guarantees that the PSA will avoid future price increases caused by fluctuations in water markets, the release said.

Philpott Lake, the primary water source for the PSA, serves the community through the Smith River.

The Philpott Dam is operated by USACE, which oversees water flows from the reservoir.

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