Powhatan hears 20-year water and wastewater master plan; consultants warn of infrastructure gap, five-year window to secure regional supply

Powhatan County supervisors on April 21 heard a draft 20‑year water and wastewater master plan from consultants with Dewberry that maps projected growth in the Flat Rock service area, flags potential shortfalls if large users arrive, and recommends near‑term engineering work and interjurisdictional negotiations to secure additional water.

The plan, presented by Brett of Dewberry with Rachel Wilson in attendance, uses current system data and projected development to show where new mains, pump stations and transmission lines would be needed. Brett said the presentation was “tailored to kind of talk about the so what,” and that the document is intended as a flexible road map the county can refine before a final draft is returned for consideration on May 8.

Why it matters: The county’s infrastructure choices will affect which parcels can develop, whether prospective large water users — notably data centers — can sit in Powhatan, and how much the county will need to budget for transmission mains and treatment upgrades. Consultants and supervisors repeatedly framed decisions as time‑sensitive because some supply options require multiyear permitting and construction.

Key findings and numbers

- Flat Rock: Brett said the Flat Rock system shows an estimated max‑day water use of about 2,800,000 gallons per day (gpd). He compared that to an allocation from Chesterfield of “about 0.57” (spoken figure) — a number the consultant…