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Board presses Service Authority on Wintergreen wastewater plant, testing and costs
Summary
The Nelson County Service Authority reported draft corrective plans to DEQ and told supervisors testing of the Wintergreen plant will occur during the December–February high-volume season; board members pressed staff about costs, contingency plans and the risk of overflows.
At the meeting the Nelson County Service Authority updated the Board of Supervisors on corrective plans sent to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and answered board questions about the Wintergreen Wastewater Treatment Plant.
George Miller said drafts of a short-term corrective action plan, a chlorine management monitoring plan, and a second-quarter report were provided to DEQ for review. When asked whether DEQ had accepted the plans, Miller said, "Not yet."
Supervisors and the service authority discussed the timeline and possible long-term fixes if the plant does not meet performance expectations. One board member said the plant must be tested during the high-volume, cold-weather season "between December and February" to verify it can handle designed volumes. The board discussed two cost figures mentioned in the meeting record: a membrane replacement estimated at approximately $2,000,000 and a temporary plant option priced at about $4,100,000. A board member noted that if the plant fails testing, the long-term solution "will have to be... one that doesn't release AVEVA from the liability of performing as it's supposed to."
Residents and board members pressed the authority on overflow risks, pump-and-haul logistics and who would bear costs. An attendee summarized a line in the consent order that NCSA staff "also considered pump and haul, but determined it was not an option due to time and cost," and cited the figure of 6,000-gallon tankers. Miller and other authority representatives said avoiding overflows is the priority and that final decisions about long-term solutions will depend on DEQ review and the December–February performance test.
Why it matters: The Wintergreen plant is operating under a consent order and board members emphasized both regulatory compliance and fiduciary responsibility to taxpayers. The discussion covered contingency costs that affect county finances and potential environmental impacts from overflows.
What’s next: The service authority awaits DEQ feedback on its draft plans and plans to conduct performance testing during the next high-volume season; board members requested further exploration of contingency fixes if testing fails.
