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County to apply for VDH loan/grant options and DOD funding for Smith Lake water plant upgrades, including PFAS treatment
Summary
Staff from the Utilities Department requested authorization to apply for a Virginia Department of Health Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund application (with potential principal forgiveness) and for a Defense Community Infrastructure Program (DCIP) grant to fund upgrades at the Smith Lake Water Treatment Facility. The projects include HVAC,
Chris Edwards, acting chief operating officer for Stafford County Utilities, told the board the county plans two major projects at the Smith Lake Water Treatment Facility: one to upgrade essential systems (chemicals, electrical and HVAC) to maintain regulatory compliance, and a second to modify treatment processes and install technology to remove PFAS in response to new regulatory requirements.
Edwards said the county intends to apply to the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund, which is a loan program that may include principal forgiveness for qualifying PFAS-related projects. He also said the county will seek a Department of Defense Defense Community Infrastructure Program (DCIP) grant for water infrastructure tied to military readiness because the county supplies water to Marine Corps Base Quantico.
Board members discussed timing and why the matter was placed on a work‑session agenda; Edwards said staff had planned the application timeline and that deadline constraints required bringing the effort forward for the board to deem the item time sensitive. The board held a procedural vote to deem the application time sensitive and then voted to authorize submission of the VDH application.
Outcome: The board agreed to treat the funding application as time sensitive and authorized submission of the VDH Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund application; meeting minutes record the time‑sensitivity vote as passing with five in favor and one member abstaining (one supervisor had dropped off the meeting). Staff said they will apply for the DCIP opportunity this year and, if successful, will coordinate project phasing between VDH and DCIP awards.
Ending: Utilities staff said they will return with grant/loan award results and recommended next steps for project scoping, phasing and any requests for local match or bonding authority as required by final award terms.
