Talks Between Falls Church, Fairfax County Continue Over Water Company

Officials from the City of Falls Church, Fairfax Water and Fairfax County met Thursday to discuss the possible sale of Falls Church Water but those talks will continue at a later date.

Susan Finarelli, spokeswoman for the city, said discussions within the mediation are confidential and could not be discussed.

No date has been set for future meetings as of yet.

In October, the city and Fairfax County agreed to discuss the sale of Falls Church Water to Fairfax Water in mediations with Magistrate Judge Theresa Carroll Buchanan.

In April, the city set a minimum bid to buy the 80-year-old system at $44 million. The city received nine inquiries from other water companies to buy the system including one from Fairfax Water. A scheduled May auction for the sale of the water system was canceled. The Office of Legal Counsel of the Headquarters U.S. Army Corps of Engineers provided a written opinion on March 8 stating the Washington Aqueduct was authorized to sell water to an investor or government owned water system.

For months the city had been trying to sell the water company and in August they announced they would continue operating Falls Church Water.