Update in reference to the 488 natural spring, the water quality was good, only OPR and ph were out of range but not harmful according to Diana Danielson who tested the spring.
The Washington Post had laboratory-tested failed quality standards, showing the presence of coliform bacteria.Fed by a shallow aquifer that is replenished with rainwater, the spring is highly susceptible to ground contamination.
The coliform bacteria is not necessarily harmful, Davis said, but its presence signifies that material from the ground is seeping into the spring. Anything spilled on the ground, including human and animal waste, pesticides, fertilizer or gasoline, could end up in the water.As development along 488 may increase, the potential for the water to be contaminated by something harmful also increases.
A proposed 49-lot subdivision along Route 488 is expiring this summer, potentially ending a long-standing project that would no longer be permitted under current zoning regulations. The plan for Piney Branch Estates, first approved in 2013, predates the stricter land-use policies in place today. The proposed development is located adjacent to several large rural plots that have been placed into preservation easements.