Virginia residents, council press for answers after repeated sewer backups as officials cite aging system and extreme storms

Residents packed the Virginia City Council chambers on June 24 to demand answers after repeated sewer backups that left basements flooded with raw sewage in mid-June and during a similar storm a year ago.

At a public forum the city’s public works director, Jim Rosbit, and the city engineer of record, Matt Reed, told the council and the public that the system was overwhelmed — not because of single mechanical failures but by the combined effect of extreme storms and aging infrastructure. “We ran at full capacity pretty much. We have 17 active lift stations. They took everything they had,” Rosbit said, describing emergency bypasses and additional pumps the crews ran to relieve pressure on the wastewater system.

The residents’ accounts underscored the human toll. Theresa Geiselman, who said her house flooded on June 16 and June 20, told the council the water levels ranged “from a few inches to over a foot” and called the episodes “destructive, costly, and traumatic events for homeowners.” Other speakers said repeated claims and repairs are leaving families and older residents exhausted and worried about remaining in Virginia.

City officials described immediate operational steps and longer-term work. Reed…