Waynesboro council backs FEMA grant bid to replace flood‑prone pump station

Waynesboro’s City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to support a federal grant application to replace a flood‑vulnerable water pump station on Shando Village Drive.

The resolution authorizes resubmitting a Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant application through the Virginia Department of Emergency Management to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for a $3.3 million project that would construct an above‑ground pump station to replace an undersized vault‑style station. Council and staff said the existing station flooded and was inoperable for nearly 20 hours during Tropical Storm Helen in fall 2024, disrupting the city’s drinking water service. The city would be responsible for a 25% local match—approximately $830,000—if the grant is awarded; staff said the match could come from water fund retained earnings and loan or reserve funding.

“The federal emergency management agency provides grant funding to communities to enable the mitigation of future disaster related losses,” the city manager said during the presentation, describing the application and the completed design for the new station. Council moved to adopt the resolution and a voice vote was recorded as 4–0 in favor.

The council did not identify a mover or seconder on the transcript; staff said the design is complete and the project is ready to bid if funding is secured. The next steps, if the grant is awarded, would include finalizing funding sources for the local match and proceeding to construction procurement. No timeline for construction was provided during the meeting.