Sewer costs slashed with use of reduced pressure system

MC officials: Hook up to be voluntary

by Tom Chillemi –

A wastewater collection system for Deltaville could cost 40% less if a “low pressure system” is used instead of a “vacuum” system that was originally recommended by the Hampton Roads Sanitation District (HRSD). That’s among the findings of a preliminary engineering report by Timmons Engineering, Middlesex County’s consultants.

The total estimated cost for a Deltaville wastewater low pressure collection system would be $12.9 million, Ken Turner of Timmons Engineering told the Middlesex Board of Supervisors at its May 3 meeting. An earlier study done for HRSD’s vacuum system pegged the cost at $32 million.

For more than two years a county sewer committee has been looking for a system that would be cheaper to build and it appears to have found one in the low pressure system.

The county will be responsible for building and operating the collection system.

Connection fee

A connection fee of $10,000 has been discussed for the typical residential customer with an “incentivized” fee of $5,000, said Walker, although neither of these have been formally adopted by the board of supervisors. Walker said the sewer committee could propose to offer a discount connection fee similar to the Middlesex Water Authority’s approach.

The sewer line will follow the Middlesex Water Authority water system when it is installed in Deltaville, said Turner. Sewer customers must be on a metered water system because sewer is billed based on the amount of water that goes into a customer’s location.