County and Schools to place plasma filters in school’s HVAC systems
Botetourt County Board of Supervisors and School Board Partner for
Upgraded HVAC Systems in Schools
October 16, 2020, Botetourt County, VA: In continued support of the partnership between the
Botetourt County Board of Supervisors and the School Board, the Supervisors have allocated nearly
$300,000 of the County’s Federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act
funding for the purchase and installation of new plasma generators for the HVAC systems in
Botetourt schools. The Botetourt County School Board has expressed excitement about the news
that the Supervisors will be using a portion of the CARES Act funds they received to support the
School Division. The School Division will purchase plasma generator equipment for all of the school
buildings with the money received.
“In the midst of this pandemic we are trying to figure out ways to safely return our children to inperson instruction more days per week,” said School Board Member Tim Davidick. “These systems
are one part of this plan. This equipment makes good sense, and I am very pleased that the Board
of Supervisors is supporting us with CARES Act money for this program.”
This state-of-the-art technology actually purifies the air by killing and reducing viruses and bacteria.
The equipment is added to the existing HVAC systems of each building and creates positively and
negatively charged ions that bind with pollutants, gases, and even pathogens that are floating in
the air we breathe. This then allows the filtration systems to work better and remove more
dangerous material from the air, including the novel coronavirus, influenza, and the virus that causes
the common cold. The equipment has a lifespan of 10 years with minimal maintenance and will
improve indoor air quality long past the end of the pandemic.
“I am pleased of the partnerships we have with the School Board and am excited to have found a
way to improve the health of the schools’ environment,” said Chairman of the Board of Supervisors
Billy Martin. “These successes offer a glimmer of hope during this otherwise stressful time of the
pandemic. For that, I am thankful and look forward to more opportunities in the future to partner to
make our community even better.”
The plasma generators are expected to be installed before the end of the year.
–submitted by Cody Sexton, Botetourt County
