Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Infrastructure Wastewater topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
HRSD outlines plan to consolidate three Middlesex plants, seeks feasibility study for West Point link
Summary
Hampton Roads Sanitation District briefed the board on a master plan that would route wastewater from smaller Middlesex plants to larger regional plants, starting with a feasibility study to move West Point flows to the Williamsburg interceptor; cost and schedule depend on multiple studies and permitting.
Hampton Roads Sanitation District (HRSD) told Middlesex County supervisors it is pursuing a long-term plan to consolidate wastewater treatment by routing flows from smaller local plants into larger regional treatment capacity.
HRSD liaison Jay (last name Dano) said HRSD rejected high bids last year for a proposed transmission force main and instead re-evaluated options to deliver better value by taking several small plants offline and sending flows to larger, lower-cost facilities. “It costs about $20 per thousand gallons at small plants versus about $2 per thousand gallons at Williamsburg,” he said, explaining the scale economies driving the plan.
Why it matters: HRSD’s master plan affects local infrastructure, potential future construction in Middlesex, and how wastewater collection and pumping responsibilities would be shared between HRSD and the county. HRSD has programmed a feasibility study for routing West Point flows toward the Toano/Williamsburg interceptor, with work starting as early as July and continuing through 2030; Urbana and Central Middlesex would follow in later phases.
Details and constraints: HRSD said a previous transmission force main bid came in far above estimates ($81 million versus an expected $40 million) and was rejected. The alternative approach would use larger, centralized plants but requires new interceptors, pump stations and possible pipe replacements; HRSD said hydraulic and feasibility analyses are pending and that some sections of pipe may need replacement. HRSD staff stressed they are “development agnostic” — they provide cost and operational analyses but leave growth decisions to localities — and noted decentralized systems are regulated differently (Virginia Department of Health) than HRSD’s centralized systems (DEQ oversight).
Engagement and next steps: HRSD is seeking to start a West Point-to-Toano feasibility study and will return with more detailed schedules and analyses, including hydraulic modeling and cost shares. County supervisors asked about potential county responsibilities for collection systems and feeder lines; HRSD said localities typically own collection systems and pump stations that feed HRSD transmission mains. HRSD committed to annual updates and earlier coordination on design choices and possible county participation in feeder-line work.
