Dec. 31 eyed as date water system starts

by Tom Chillemi – 

Greg Chambers, who serves as chairman of the board of the Middlesex Water Authority (MWA), reported that the first two phases of construction are complete.

The pump station for the wells at Rosegill near Urbanna is finished and has passed all tests, said Chambers. “It’s pumping clean water right now to flush the pipeline all the way to Grey’s Point Camp in Topping,” he said.

With water line construction complete, the remaining hurdle for the first two phases is state paperwork and a permit. “We expect to be up and running by Dec. 31, with the first bills going out in January,” said Chambers.

Coordinated effort

With the Topping line complete, Chambers said he expects by year’s end that most of the main pipes along General Puller Highway (Route 33) will be in the ground nearly all the way to Stingray Point in Deltaville. 

Meters

“In mid-December we will start installing individual meters in Deltaville, one street at a time,” said Chambers.

Installing 693 meters throughout the system should take a few months to complete, he added.

Connection fee due

The MWA collected a 10% connection fee deposit when customers signed agreements. The MWA will be sending out invoices for phases three and four from Grey’s Point to Deltaville soon, he said.