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Victoria officials outline utility-billing change and approve water-plant hazardous-chemical disposal
Summary
Town Manager Rodney Newton described a planned change to the utility-billing schedule to align with new Code of Virginia rules and meter-storage limits; council approved a $9,000 appropriation to dispose of unused hazardous chemicals found at the water plant and set a DEQ meeting on wastewater I&I.
Town Manager Rodney Newton briefed the Victoria Town Council on utility-billing timing changes and infrastructure needs on Feb. 12, and council approved an appropriation to dispose of hazardous chemicals discovered at the water plant.
Newton said new Code of Virginia provisions on utility cut-offs and the town's meter equipment—meters that retain only 30 days of data—require changes to the billing cycle. He proposed reading meters on June 1 and billing that usage across the FY26 fiscal year (giving customers 12 months to pay the June read), then beginning a new reading cycle on June 25 with bills mailed July 1, 2025. Newton gave an example: a minimum monthly bill based on a $68.50 minimum usage divided over 12 months would add $5.71 per month, bringing the example total to $74.21; he said this will vary by customer usage. Council directed staff to notify customers by letter and webpage and to revisit the plan at the March meeting.
Newton also described operations at the water plant, including a temporarily nonfunctional sludge vacuum, ongoing basin cleanup and evidence of older concrete repairs. During a cleanup staff found unused hazardous chemicals; Clean Management Environmental Group estimated disposal at about $7,800. Newton asked council to appropriate $9,000 from the General Fund to cover the expense; Councilmember Mattox moved the appropriation, Councilmember Gill seconded and the motion carried.
On wastewater, Newton said the town continues to take in excess water (inflow and infiltration) and plans a Feb. 20 meeting with the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to discuss leachate and storage options; project materials for the Tidewater Avenue pipe replacement are on site and paving cost estimates are pending. Newton said he will work with plant staff and outside partners (Moonshot Missions) to prioritize plant improvements and to improve instrumentation and data feeds for operations; Nathan Coey of Moonshot Missions is scheduled to visit March 10 to work with operators.
The minutes record motions and approvals but do not include roll-call vote tallies for the $9,000 appropriation.
