HENRY CO., Va. – A water line replacement project is underway in Henry County, boosted by millions of dollars in grant funding to improve water service and reliability in the Fieldale community.
“Back to when Fieldale was originally founded, when textiles were really big in our area, they kind of built this community around the textile industry,” said Brandon Martin, public information officer for Henry County. “So it’s pretty old infrastructure made with lead which is no longer a recommended material for this type of thing.”
Crews with Prillaman and Pace and C.W. Cauley and Son are replacing the lines and service connections. Many of the pipes were built with galvanized steel and lead-jointed cast iron. They’ll be replaced with more modern, safer materials.
‘Some of these older materials, they can cause issues such as leaks and things like that, which will impact your water flow, the taste of the water, all of the above,” Martin said. “So after this project is done, they’ll have better water in terms of quality, in terms of not having lapses in the amount of taking a shower, they’re not going to have to worry about it.”
The project is being funded by a Virginia Department of Health’s Office of Drinking Water grant worth $6.1 million, made possible by American Rescue Plan Act funding.
Other localities in our area that are receiving such grants include Alleghany, Franklin and Pittsylvania counties.
The project is expected to last until September 2026.