County moves to improve tracking of its sewer costs

The Middlesex County Board of Supervisors established on Dec. 5, 2023 a “sewer enterprise fund” to track sewer construction expenses and future revenues, separately from the county’s general budget.

The board’s action moved $2 million from the capital improvement fund (part of the general budget) to the sewer enterprise fund. 

The sewer enterprise fund comes years after the county began working on installing sewer systems for four areas of the county — Saluda, Topping, Hartfield and Deltaville. The county must pay for the “collection” systems — estimated at more than $41 million.

Loan

On Dec. 5, 2023, the sewer enterprise fund became a reality 13 months after a separate sewer fund was mentioned by Middlesex County Administrator Matt Walker at the Nov. 1, 2022 board  meeting. At that meeting, the board approved going $4.6 million into debt to pay for a wastewater collection system and a pump station at Cooks Corner. To get the loan, the board voted to mortgage the Middlesex County Historic Courthouse, the Woodward Office building and the Kidd Building, which are being used as collateral for a 25-year loan at a rate of 2.95 %.