Washington Post – Letters to the Editor
The Aug. 16 Metro article on the increasing salinization of our region’s water, “Salt in water sources becoming worrisome in D.C. region, experts warn,” was on the mark. This issue has evolved over time as residential and industrial developments have largely replaced rural areas. My Prince William County neighborhood — Heritage Hunt — was singled out in the article as a contributor to the problem based largely on winter road treatments, but it is only one of many across the region that are also a factor.
Of greater concern locally are recent proposals to rezone about 2,200 local acres and allow massive data centers in environmentally sensitive areas adjacent to the Manassas National Battlefield Park. If approved, existing forests and grasslands will be replaced by enormous concrete structures and paved parking lots. This major loss of natural acreage — which helps filter and control water runoff pollutants (including salt) — will lead to even further contamination of our regional water.
Many citizens have voiced concerns, and experts and organizations, such as the Fairfax County Water Authority, have recommended formal environmental studies before decisions are made. Regardless, the majority of our county board of supervisors seems determined to proceed with rezoning, deferring any studies until some future date. This hardly seems like responsible governance.
I encourage The Post to continue investigating this issue. Maybe then we would know why some local officials support making a critical problem even worse.
Margaret L. Gill, Gainesville