FINCASTLE -- The future of water rights in Botetourt was the subject of a settlement conference at the county courthouse Friday morning, though the private talk ended under a cloak of silence and without resolution.

The meeting was the latest step in an ongoing dispute over new service areas -- and potential customers -- between the county and Central Water Co. of Roanoke. The State Corporation Commission had requested Friday's session after a pre-hearing conference on the matter in October.

Both sides met with a representative of the SCC for more than two hours to discuss how parts of the county will be carved up for service.

The SCC has directed the parties to report on the results of the meeting on Tuesday to its hearing examiner in the case, Alexander Skirpan, who will decide how to proceed.

In February, the SCC granted Central Water expanded rights along U.S. 220 running north to Fincastle.

The county has alleged that the water company "deceived" the SCC to gain access to the fast-growing territory and petitioned the commission to revoke the utility's permission to operate there.

Steve Rossi, president of Central Water, has countered that he has wrangled with "difficult" county officials for a decade. Rossi could not be reached Friday afternoon.

"The idea is, can we all come to an agreement on something?" said Elizabeth Dillon, a county attorney, on her way into Friday's meeting. Dillon said the meeting was closed to the public because of the legal issues involved.

Friday afternoon, SCC spokesman Andy Farmer said, "We'll find out on [Nov.] 18th where we are."

The people who attended the settlement conference agreed not to discuss the proceedings, said Jerry Burgess, Botetourt's county administrator.

Attendees at the meeting included representatives from Sommersby Water Co. and the Town of Fincastle, both water service providers with an interest in Central Water's expanded territory, as well as county supervisors Don Assaid and Terry Austin.