County announces DEQ-backed oyster restoration grant, urine-diversion toilet demo and HRSD hookup incentives

During the meeting the county administrator reported several recent grant awards and pending projects intended to reduce pollution in the Chesapeake Bay and support local wastewater connections.

The county administrator said, "The first 1 is the largest 1, a $6,800,000 grant for oyster restoration, has been awarded to the Oyster Company of Virginia, and they will be restoring, oyster reefs, about 57 acres worth of oyster reefs. This is not for harvesting." The administrator said the restoration is intended to clean up waterways and is part of a $19,000,000 total state award aimed at reducing pollution in the Chesapeake Bay.

The administrator also summarized a $199,800 award for a urine-diversion and nitrogen-removal demonstration with Lixil, describing it as a proprietary toilet system that will be deployed at five commercial demonstration sites and 11 households. "There will be 5 commercial demonstration sites and 11 households," the administrator said.

Finally, the county administrator relayed that the Hampton Roads Sanitation District (HRSD) applied for and received a $1,800,000 grant that includes homeowner incentives to reduce hookup costs; the administrator said homeowners could receive up to $5,000 and that HRSD anticipates about 236 Gloucester County homes could be connected.

No board action was required during the meeting on those grants; the announcements were presented as information to the public and board. Staff identified Louis Lawrence and the regional Planning District Commission as contributors to the grant work and acknowledged that Supervisor Legg provided a letter of support for the HRSD application.

Ending: County staff said public demonstrations and outreach will follow as project partners finalize sites and schedules.