Officials weigh multimillion-dollar water and sewer options for Richardson Road industrial park
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Summary
County and EDA consultants presented site-readiness work for the Richardson Road industrial park and estimates for roads, water distribution, storage tanks and sewer; costs range from small upgrades (bringing existing wells online) to $30M+ for a new surface-water and treatment system.
Amelia County received an update on the Richardson Road industrial park during the Feb. 13 meeting, when consultants described the site-readiness work completed and the likely infrastructure costs to serve an industrial site.
Speaker 9 said the county completed topographic surveys, wetland delineations, geotechnical reviews and cultural-resources checks to obtain a Tier 3 site-readiness certification for the Richardson Road site. He summarized a range of water and sewer options and costs: internal 12-inch distribution mains for the park (roughly $1.4 million if constructed with roads), a ground tank with fire pump and onsite wells (estimated ~$2.4 million) primarily for fire protection, an elevated-tank-plus-wells option (~$4.6 million) that would supply potable water and process needs, or extending a main into the site (an additional ~$6.2 million) to integrate the park with the county's distribution network.
On sewer, Speaker 9 outlined cheaper, localized options (individual septic systems for small users) and more expensive municipal options that require a pump station and a force main back to the village (estimated ~$5.1 million to build the pump station and force main). He cautioned that wastewater capacity is constrained by the current plant's hydraulic limits (0.3 MGD) and that an expansion to add 0.3 MGD would be the most economical upgrade at an estimated cost of about $12 million; building a new plant near the Appomattox to serve far-flung growth was estimated at $30 million or more.
The presentation noted that park infrastructure can be phased and that combining the work (road construction plus buried utilities) can yield cost savings compared with separate mobilizations. Board discussion touched on whether to prioritize study and extensions to the east (growth corridor) or west (industrial park), and on using grants and EDA funding to defray capital costs. Speaker 9 recommended the county decide which direction to prioritize for study, or to fund both if feasible.
No final commitment to build major extensions or tank installations was taken at the meeting; the board directed staff to include near-term priorities in the capital-improvement plan and to pursue design/budget estimates and potential EDA or state funding.
