Prince George board authorizes staff to negotiate wastewater options with Sussex, Hopewell and to develop funding plan

Prince George County on Aug. 12 directed county staff to pursue agreements with both Sussex County and the City of Hopewell while staff develops a financing plan for new wastewater capacity needed to attract industrial development.

At the start of a lengthy utilities discussion, Frank Holcomb, director of utilities and engineering, said the county’s current wastewater and water capacity “will not be able to meet our demands for the many industrial projects that we have already lost,” and summarized three options: sending wastewater to Hopewell, building a new plant (in‑county or regionally with Sussex), or continuing the status quo. He told the board that scope and cost estimates have risen since earlier planning and that the county must identify funding sources and contracts to take advantage of a $10 million Virginia Business Ready Sites Program (VBRSP) grant within an…