HRSD and JCSA outline $43M–$70M wet‑weather investment plan, including storage tanks and smart‑sewer operations

James City Service Authority (JCSA) staff and Hampton Roads Sanitation District (HRSD) presented a multi-pronged approach on July 14 to reduce wet-weather sanitary sewer overflows in northern James City County. JCSA staff summarized a capacity evaluation showing roughly 1.9 million gallons per day of projected growth on top of a current average flow of approximately 5 million gallons per day, and noted DEQ warning letters related to wet-weather overflows.

HRSD presented planned regional investments and operational measures. Director of Planning and Analysis Jay Dano said HRSD anticipates investing between $43 million and $70 million in capacity-related projects for the county over the next five years, including an inflow-and-infiltration (I&I) reduction program, targeted pipe and manhole rehabilitation, added metering and sensors on the interceptor network, pump-station evaluations, and one or more wet-weather storage tanks combined with pressure-reducing stations (PRS). "We're planning on spending 43 to $70,000,000 to address capacity concerns in James City County moving forward," he told the board.

Chris Steffen, HRSD director of interceptor operations North Shore, described operational improvements after recent SCADA and data-integration upgrades: HRSD and JCSA now share real-time pump-station and force-main data in a common analytics platform (Aviva PI), enabling joint remote control and pre-event sequencing. Steffen described an operational control change that holds pump wet-well set points and stages pumps during storms to create storage in local wet wells and lower pressures in the force mains. He said the changes have reduced peak pressures and lowered spill risk during recent storm events without added infrastructure.

HRSD described three storage/tank CIPs under study: repurposing an existing potable water tank for wet-weather storage; a Williamsburg treatment-plant off-line storage site study; and a Williamsburg Crossing PRS/force-main storage tank concept. Dano said the modeled Williamsburg Crossing tank could cost roughly $18 million to $45 million depending on size and siting. HRSD stressed that storage provides a known, controllable volume of capacity as opposed to the uncertain returns of city-wide lining programs.

JCSA staff said the authority has roughly $14.5 million planned in its sewer CIP over the next five years that will help address collection-system needs, and staff asked the board to continue to support data sharing and coordination as HRSD advances site studies and design. The board asked follow-up questions about development impacts, acceptable infiltration levels, and the recent groundwater/withdrawal study; staff said additional analysis would be shared in future briefings and that board support will be requested as CIPs and permitting proceed.