Upgrading our regional Wastewater Treatment system is front and center right now. Fredericksburg City Staff have been working with Spotsylvania County officials to solve this shared issue, using a collaborative approach. The price tag will be significant, but State funds are available to help. The upgrade is necessary in order to handle future population growth while protecting the health of the Rappahannock River and Chesapeake Bay.
City Council unanimously passed a resolution on February 11th to support negotiations between the City and Spotsylvania County to build an expanded, upgraded wastewater treatment plant at the Massaponax location for all of the wastewater generated by Spotsylvania County and the City. (This would include the closing of the two outdated local plants.)
The consolidated facility approach has several key advantages:
· shared cost
· efficiency of operation
· new technology
· better for the environment, particularly the Rappahannock River and the Chesapeake Bay.
The water returned to the River and the Bay (or “outfall”) from the expanded, shared plant would be cleaner than the outfall of all three current plants, combined.
State-of-the-art technology will significantly reduce the nutrients that are detrimental to the River and the Bay: nitrogen, potassium, and sediment, specifically.
The Secretary of Natural Resources, Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is enthusiastic about the project. (DEQ administers the Water Quality Improvement Fund (WQIF) financing, which is an important source of additional funding for this shared project.)
Our City’s current cost estimate for the project is approximately $65.7M over a seven-year period. The City hopes to significantly reduce our cost through WQIF funding
The Governor’s proposed 2020-2022 budget includes about $120M statewide for wastewater treatment upgrades, but funding could be spread out over several years meaning the State funding would be distributed over several budget cycles. .
I recently met with elected officials in the General Assembly, who assure me that the Governor will not allow the $120M to be raided for other purposes which so often happens when funds of this magnitude are set aside.
Stay tuned as negotiations continue, and as the City applies for WQIF funding. This project is often called “the most expensive capital improvement in the City’s history”, but I believe it is also one of the most critical capital improvements for the City’s future.
As a part of the City Council, I would work, with our very capable City Staff, to move this important project forward at a reasonable cost to City residents.
