For some in the region, the morning shower, your needed cup of coffee, the drops you put on those prized rose bushes, starts 125 miles west of the city in a small tributary of Lake Gaston, a body of water that straddles the border of North Carolina and is then piped 76 miles to a series of reservoirs. Forty five years ago, water became the defining issue for the future of the city of Virginia Beach and subsequently, the region.

This week, WHRV’s Jordan Christie and Barry Graham present “Tapping Gaston,” which looks back at how the Lake Gaston Pipeline helped secure an independent source of water for the city. Listen to interviews with many of the Virginia Beach officials who maneuvered a 15 year battle to help secure what some say was the biggest and most important accomplishment for the city and region in history. Also, hear national experts on the economics of water and how this precious commodity allows communities to thrive.

Tune in Monday - Thursday during Morning Edition to hear the series.

Part 1 - Monday, June 14
By 1980, Virginia Beach was transforming from a sleepy suburb to the largest city in the state. However, one critical resource was threatening its development: water. Severe droughts hit the region in the 1970s and 80s and rationing mandates were issued Today, WHRV News begins a four-day series - "Tapping Gaston." It will explore the years when Virginia Beach was exploding in growth and the harsh realization that its rapid development could also be its downfall.

You can also listen online