Prince William County, Va. -- It's too soon to figure how much money Prince William taxpayers are spending on snow removal and related storm activities, but supervisors were told Tuesday to expect costs to be "extensive," according to the county's emergency services manager.
The bright spot is that the county executive's recent declaration of a state of emergency makes the community eligible for pursuit and receipt of federal disaster dollars.
"We'll follow the [Federal Emergency Management Agency] guidelines for reimbursements and go after every dollar we can," said Patrick Collins, the county's emergency services man-ager, in a last-minute presentation to supervisors during a 2 p.m. board meeting on Tuesday.
It's been record-setting levels of snow that Prince William has experienced -- and another 10-to-20-inches is on the way by Wednesday evening, according to weather reports.
"According to the totals we've seen, with another 10 inches, this will be the snowiest winter in 111 years," said County Executive Melissa Peacor. "So we're facing that proverbial 100-year storm."
Some places in the county reported 30 inches of snow this past weekend, Collins said. Power outages, meanwhile, have hit thousands. But as of 2 p.m. Tuesday, service had been restored to all but 523 NOVEC customers and 107 Dominion customers, Collins said.
Those without electric service may contact Dominion at 888-667-3000 and NOVEC at 888-335-0500.
Virginia's Department of Transportation has all but depleted its stores of salt, Collins said, and most county Public Works clean-up trucks were now relying solely on sand to help clear the roads.
VDOT, he said, was responsible for clearing most public roadways, with priority given to the major travel areas. Public Works, on the other hand, deals with county government buildings, drive areas, and parking lots.
An important point for residents: Clear snow away from fire hydrants, Collins said.
"We have the potential with this storm for heavy, wet snow, between 10 and 12 inches. The big issue is going to be wind, however," Collins said. "Winds are expected between 25 and 35 miles-per-hour… and it's very important to clear away fire hydrants."
Staff writer Cheryl Chumley can be reached at 703-670-1907.
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