By Nina Coolidge
Efforts to clean up the Chesapeake Bay
may soon be felt by Lexington and Rockbridge County residents in higher
sewer bills.
To save the Bay, the state is requiring improvements costing $12.2 million at the local wastewater treatment plant run by the Maury Service Authority. The MSA is responsible for the treatment of all sewage coming from Rockbridge County and Lexington. According to MSA executive director Joe Milo, the costs of this upgrade will be largely covered by the state.
Still, he said, residents will likely see an increase in their sewer rates. The amount of the local cost could vary significantly - by as much as $5 million - depending on what percentage the state will cover. And that depends on how much good-faith effort this area demonstrates in its water-system policies.
If nothing changes in local policies, the state would cover only about 50 percent of the cost.
"I expect within the next few months that we will enter into a formal grant agreement with the state," Milo said. A larger grant from the state could increase the amount Virginia covers to 80 or 90 percent.
Recently, Lexington City Council decided to raise rates by 10 percent, but backed away from that rate hike when the Rockbridge County Public Service Authority failed to reach a similar decision. Lexington City Manager Jon Ellestad said that the proposal by the city was an effort to help the MSA qualify for a higher grant.
Ellestad did say that the City of Lexington would have to raise rates for residents beginning July 1. This would be not only to help fund the upgrade of the wastewater treatment plant, but also to improve the water system. The water system may soon be facing low water pressure and pockets of stagnant water due to growing residential demand.
Another problem that has plagued the city and county for some time is what the MSA refers to as Inflow and Infiltration. I&I refers to runoff and groundwater that is able to seep into the sewer system through cracks in old pipes and faulty joints. These breeches of the system significantly increase the amount of water that the MSA treatment plant must process. This means the city and county are wasting money treating, to some extent, rainwater.
Currently, the MSA facility can handle about three million gallons per day.
In addition, new lines going out to Raphine will bring more sewage into the plant for treatment. The upgraded facility will also require more operators and more electricity.
On the positive side, Milo said, the additional cost will be borne by more residents, as new homes tie into the new Raphine lines, which will tend to moderate the fee hike.
"It is a little difficult to tell exactly how rates will be affected," Milo said.
The upgrade requirement is the result of multi-state efforts to clean up the Chesapeake Bay by dramatically reducing the amount of chemicals such as nitrogen and phosphorus coming into the Bay. These two chemicals are being targeted because they encourage the growth of algae.
After dirty water is treated at the MSA facility, it is put back into the Maury River, which feeds into the Chesapeake Bay by means of the James River.
The treatment plant is located at the top of Bob Aiken Circle, just off of Old Buena Vista Road. The Maury River runs parallel to Old Buena Vista Road.
The wastewater treatment plant that is used now has been in operation since April 1999. The planned upgrades will likely include additional processing equipment, as well as upgrades to the current system.
The MSA has already received a Preliminary Engineering Report that outlines the potential upgrades and Milo said he expects construction to being in summer 2008. Before construction begins, the state Department on Environmental Quality must approve the plans.
Produced by Washington and Lee journalism students.
Lead supervisor: Prof. Claudette Artwick
Reporting supervisors:
Technical supervisor: Michael Todd