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Public works presents $650M redundancy plan for Christina River Forcemain, plus spray disposal and Brandywine interceptor updates
Summary
Staff outlined a long‑term redundancy plan for the Christina River Forcemain estimated at about $650 million over 20–30 years, a planned expansion to add up to ~1.7 million gpd spray disposal at Marlpit Road, and a $9.2 million Brandywine interceptor phase 1 award partly funded by ARPA; council members pressed for cost context and confirmed a 10‑year treatment agreement with Wilmington.
Jason Zern, senior manager for sewer and stormwater, described three major sewer initiatives and the county's focus on system redundancy and repairs.
On the Christina River Forcemain (CRFM), Zern said the nearly 10‑mile, low‑pressure force main serves about 300,000 residents and moves roughly 50–150 million gallons per day. He said the system lacks full redundancy and that an emergency repair near the Wilmington Treatment Plant cost the county about $20 million. "That emergency project really shone a spotlight on the CRFM and its condition," he said, and staff prepared a conceptual plan for a fully redundant system the county currently estimates at about $650,000,000 and which may take 20–30 years to complete. Phase 1 is tied to DelDOT bridge work and would install a bypass line (roughly 2,000–2,500 linear feet) ahead of the DelDOT project, with bidding planned this spring and a roughly two‑year construction window for that segment.
Council members questioned linear feet and cost per mile; one member observed the half‑mile/phase cost implications. Zern and colleagues emphasized the complexity of the work and that funding will be a mix of the state revolving fund loan program, federal WIFIA loans (referenced in the meeting as the Water Infrastructure and Innovation Act loan), and contributions from DelDOT.
Zern also described an expansion of spray disposal tied to Water Farm 1 and adjacent properties on Marlpit Road (formerly Water Farm 2). The proposal would add about 1.7 million gallons per day of spray disposal capacity—bringing total disposal potential on county fields to about 3.5 million gpd—subject to permitting with DNREC, land‑use approvals and negotiated easements with property owners; construction could start later this year and spray operations might begin in roughly two years, depending on permitting timelines.
On the Brandywine interceptor Phase 1, Zern said the project was awarded at about $9.2 million, with pre‑construction underway, a nine‑month construction schedule, sewer repairs beginning mid‑April and trail paving later this fall. He said pipelining technology will be used to rehabilitate the existing line and that the project is partially funded through ARPA monies.
Council members also raised the county's multiyear contract for sewer treatment with the City of Wilmington; staff confirmed a 10‑year agreement signed in 2022 that runs through about 2032 and said more frequent interagency meetings are part of the new arrangement to manage costs and coordination.
