The Falls Church City Council gave a preliminary OK tonight to deploy the lion’s share of a $1 million surplus in its current fiscal year water fund revenues to engage ongoing legal battles with the Fairfax Water Authority over the disposition of the embattled Falls Church Water System. The surplus $1 million came from more than expected revenues from charges for services, according to a report from City Manager Wyatt Shields. It does not include a larger surplus in Falls Church’s overall general fund revenues for Fiscal Year 2012 of more than $3.6 million that the Council is expected to allocate in the coming months.

The ordinance OK’d tonight to deploy the $1 million water fund surplus for Fiscal Year 2012, along with $327,000 in general fund revenues, passed by a 4-0 vote (3 Council members were absent) and awaits final approval on June 25. Vice Mayor David Snyder said the move was needed “to protect the City’s ability to deliver quality water service to its customers,” a phrase that was seconded by City Attorney John Foster.