Return to story

Sewage spill a main concern in Spotsy

May 20, 2007 12:36 am

By DAN TELVOCK

The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality has added 16 more incidents to its tally of sewage overflows into Massaponax Creek.

From November 2006 to May 13, Spotsylvania officials have reported to the DEQ at least 61 overflows from two manholes off Leavells Road near a 90-acre tract of county-owned land.

The root of the problem is a sewer main operating over capacity, said Spotsylvania Director of Utilities Thomas Slaydon.

Although officials say the downstream risk in minimal, Slaydon and the DEQ are urging people not to swim or fish anywhere in the creek. County officials reported the overflows to the DEQ immediately, the agency said.

There are no homes within several hundred feet of the overflow area. Slaydon said customers haven't experienced sewage backups into their homes because of the problem. And it doesn't affect water supply, he said.

The solution is to replace a 17-mile sewer main with a larger one, especially 29,500 linear feet of sewer line where the overflows are occurring. But that portion is at least a year away from completion, Slaydon said, with very little opportunity to expedite the project.

County officials knew in the late 1990s that the sewer main needed to be replaced, Slaydon said.

"I am sadly disappointed that we weren't advised by our Utilities Department that we were near capacity and about to reach capacity in the process of any of our rezonings," said Supervisor Vince Onorato. "It would have factored heavily into our decisions, and I think it should have factored into previous boards' decisions."

Onorato said he may ask supervisors to consider a moratorium on sewer connections until the main is replaced. The supervisors meet on Tuesday.

Slaydon said the $50 million project is on schedule to be completed sometime in 2008. The county is borrowing the money to pay for the project. Water and sewer fees will repay the debt.

Slaydon guessed each event caused a minimum of 10,000 gallons of sewage overflow, and maybe as much as 100,000 gallons. He said most of the overflows are occurring during peak-use hours, typically on weekends when people are at home instead of at work or school.

Water-quality sampling began Jan. 23. The preliminary results at the overflow site showed fecal coliform at levels considerably higher than state regulations allow, but the counts lessened as water flowed downstream, Slaydon said.

The report states that the risk is minimal away from the overflow site, but not nonexistent. Because of that, the county is urging people to avoid contact with the creek.

DEQ spokeswoman Julia Wellman said, "We are working with the county to come up with appropriate steps to take for ongoing water-quality monitoring."

Janny Sims, who lives on Colechester Street in Lees Hill, said her 5-year-old son and three of his friends came back soaked head to toe after playing in Massaponax Creek two weeks ago. She said county officials should have alerted residents to the potential risk earlier. Signs were posted only at the overflow area off Leavells Road, she said.

"We're not the only people who play in the creek. Every time I go down there, there are teenagers and dogs swimming in the creek," Sims said. "I'm very upset that the county waited this long and there are potential health risks to our whole family now."

The DEQ is working on a consent order with the county government that could include fines. Wellman said a $32,500 maximum fine can be issued for each incident.

"We have not made any determination of a penalty in this case," she said.