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Vienna approves first readings of water and sewer improvement ordinances, advancing phased rate increases
Summary
The Vienna City Council passed on first reading two ordinances to fund multi‑year water and sewer upgrades — a program staff said totals just over $18 million — and approved a three‑year phased rate increase to pay for the work. Council voted unanimously on both first readings.
The Vienna City Council on first reading approved two separate ordinances designed to fund an array of water and sewer infrastructure projects and to implement three‑step rate increases for water and sewer customers.
City staff told the council the combined program shown in meeting materials totals just over $18 million and includes major wastewater line replacements, force‑main bores under Grand Central and railroad right‑of‑way, dredging of Pond Run, storm drainage improvements on 28th Street and multiple water‑main replacements and reinforcements. Staff said the work is phased to limit immediate rate impacts and to coordinate construction with other capital projects.
Staff described funding for the projects as a mix of external grants and low‑interest loans and internal enterprise funds. The council heard that the city has been awarded or applied for a $1 million U.S. EPA grant, an approved $250,000 West Virginia matching grant (not yet received), and expects to finance remaining costs through state clean‑water revolving loan funds and other low‑interest lending programs (examples discussed included 3% loans amortized over 20 years). Officials said the city will also use available wastewater fund balances to reduce the portion passed to ratepayers.
Project timing discussed at the meeting included design completion for several projects in 2026, a target to begin major force‑main construction in the fourth quarter of 2026 with roughly a one‑year build time, and bid advertising for other segments (including a well and certain water main replacements) in early 2027. City staff estimated a first debt service payment for some larger components could begin in the second quarter of 2028.
Council members and staff emphasized that the increases reflect long‑deferred work, that multiple earlier projects (tank rehabs, generator replacements and piecemeal mains) have extended system life, and that this package is intended to address remaining capacity and reliability issues. Staff also said dredging of Pond Run’s first phase is expected to remove about 5–6 feet of silt in places and cost just over $1 million; they added that dredged material would be tested for contaminants before any reuse.
After discussion, the council voted unanimously to pass the water ordinance on first reading (Councilwoman Dees, Councilwoman Morris, Mayor Henrick, Councilwoman Rhodes, Councilwoman Sasson and Recorder Smith recorded as voting Yes). The council later passed the separate sewer ordinance on first reading by the same unanimous vote.
Next steps: both ordinances were advanced on first reading; financing details and project bidding timelines will move forward with staff and the utility board, and the council may revisit rate percentages after observing initial project costs and grant awards.
