Study: MC may need to put up millions for sewer system

Customers expected to pay $10,000 hook-up fee and $100-plus a month on average

by Tom Chillemi – 

The Middlesex County Capital Improvement Plan for 2021-2025 calls for an investment of $19 million by Middlesex County over five years to build wastewater collection systems in areas of the county, including Deltaville, Topping and Cooks Corner.

The Hampton Roads Sanitation District (HRSD) has stated that it will require the collection system in Deltaville be deployed uniformly as a “vacuum system” due to certain physical conditions of the area and operation costs.

In February 2020, the Middlesex County Board of Supervisors formed a sewer subcommittee to study more cost effective ways to build wastewater collection systems.

In February 2021 the Timmons Group released its study of wastewater collection system for the Topping area that will use a low pressure system (LPS) instead of the vacuum system that HRSD requires.

The Timmons study estimates a 34% reduction in construction costs by using an LPS, estimated to cost $4.3 million, versus the vacuum system which is projected to cost $6.5 million.

The Timmons report was part of the packet for the March 2 meeting of the Middlesex Board of Supervisors. The report with maps of proposed deployment areas can be viewed at https://www.co.middlesex.va.us/Board%20of%20Supervisors/BOS%20Packets/2021/03-02-2021%20Board%20Meeting%20Packet.pdf.

Customer costs

The LPS requires a “grinder” for each customer. Each customer will have to pay either a $10,000 hook-up fee or pay the cost of buying and installing a grinder with an estimated cost of $4,500 and installation of about $1,500.

Customers would have to be on a metered central water system…