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"Boat Harbor Treatment Plant Conversion and Transmission"
Boat Harbor Treatment Plant Pump Station Conversion
Boat Harbor Treatment Plant Transmission Force Main Section 1 (Subaqueous)
Boat Harbor Treatment Plant Transmission Force Main Section 2 (Land)
HRSD Capital Improvement Program Project (BH015700, BH015710 & BH015720)

HRSD is closing its Boat Harbor Treatment Plant in Newport News to further reduce nutrients discharged to the James River Basin, which will support local water quality and Chesapeake Bay restoration efforts. A new pumping station facility will be constructed at the Boat Harbor location, and wastewater will be pumped to HRSD’s Nansemond Treatment Plant in Suffolk. At the Nansemond location, wastewater will be highly treated prior to discharge to the James River. A significant portion of the treated water will undergo additional advanced treatment to meet drinking water quality standards to produce SWIFT Water™. To connect HRSD’s Boat Harbor and Nansemond facilities, construction of 31,000 feet of pipe is required. The pipe varies in size from 42 inches to 54 inches. The section installed under the Newport News Shipping Channel using horizontal direction drilling is 42 inches. The pipe then expands to 54 inches before reducing back down to 48 inches as the flow enters the Nansemond Treatment Plant for further treatment.

This work includes three separate projects: Boat Harbor Pump Station Conversion, Boat Harbor Underwater Transmission Pipe Installation, and Nansemond Treatment Plant Pipe Installation. To see more information, please check below in the “Update” section for a link to each project, including FAQ’s for each.

For more information on the SWIFT process, please visit www.hrsd.com/swift.

November 5, 2025

Please access the project specific pages by clicking the links below:

This is not known at this time.

Staging:: TBD

Construction:: Late 2022 - Late 2026

Restoration:: Immediately following construction

Public Information Specialist:: Shawn Maxfield
757.833.7483 (Office)

HRSD Project Manager:: David Steele

Additional Information:: Projects@hrsd.com

Chief of Communications:: Leila Rice, APR
757.460.7056 (Office)

Engineering Consultant Firm:: AECOM, Norfolk, VA

Engineering Consultant Project Lead:: David Steele

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"Boat Harbor Pump Station Conversion"
Boat Harbor Treatment Plant Pump Station Conversion
Boat Harbor Treatment Plant Pump Station Conversion Site Improvements
HRSD Capital Improvement Program Project (BH015700 & BH015701)

As part of the Sustainable Water Initiative for Tomorrow (SWIFT) program, HRSD will pump wastewater from Newport News to its Nansemond Treatment Plant in Suffolk. At the Nansemond location, wastewater will be highly treated prior to discharge to the James River. A significant portion of the treated water will undergo additional advanced treatment to produce SWIFT Water^TM which will meet drinking water quality standards. This will further reduce nutrients discharged to the James River Basin and support local water quality and Chesapeake Bay restoration efforts. The existing Boat Harbor Treatment Plant will be closed and replaced with the Boat Harbor Pump Station.

Project Cost: Approximately $196.5 million

Notices

October 2023 - Construction Notice Update #1

October 2023 - Notice to Neighbors

November 5, 2025

Construction will continue over the next few months, mostly inside the building. Work inside the building will include installing piping, HVAC, electrical components, and other mechanical equipment. A coating will also be applied to previously placed concrete, which will entail controlling humidity and temperature inside the building to acceptable limits and then spraying on the coating.

Some work installing pipes outside the building will also be performed. In Late 2025, there is work scheduled on Terminal Avenue that will require traffic lane modifications.

This is not known at this time.

Staging:: Summer 2023

Construction:: Summer 2023 - Late 2026

Restoration:: Immediately following construction when seasonably appropriate.

This project will update existing site conditions to allow of the future construction of a new HRSD sewage pump station and storage facility. Construction of this new HRSD pump station and storage facility will help ensure HRSD’s ability to protect public health and the environment for decades to come.

This project is a necessary part of Sustainable Water Initiative for Tomorrow (SWIFT), which is an innovative program taking highly treated wastewater effluent that would otherwise be discharged to surface waters and providing additional rounds of advanced water treatment to produce SWIFT WaterTM that will meet drinking water quality standards. The physical limitations at the Boat Harbor Treatment Plant site prevent the ability to provide advanced water treatment at that location, so it is necessary to provide the advanced water treatment at the Nansemond Treatment Plant location. In addition, a financial analysis indicates there is significant long-term cost saving associated with consolidating wastewater treatment and SWIFT facilities at the Nansemond Treatment Plant.

We looked at several sites to determine what meets HRSD’s needs of availability, property agreement terms, ease of access to the property for construction, and future maintenance.

Disruption of the flow of traffic is expected to be minimal in this area. The public may notice an increase in truck traffic entering and existing the site from Terminal Avenue and Harbor Road.

Work will typically take place Monday through Friday during daylight hours (7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.). However, there may be times when extended hours, work at night, or weekend work may be necessary.

There are no planned interruptions to water or sewer service.

Construction is expected to have minimal impact on the existing pavement. Where new site entrances are installed, asphalt, curb, gutters, driveway aprons, and grass will be removed and then restored upon completion of the project.

The typical construction noises such as construction equipment engines and back-up alarms, materials being delivered, diesel generators and air compressors, sheet pile driving and the like should be anticipated at the active construction area. During construction, the contractor will be required to keep the roadways and storm drainage infrastructure free of dirt and other debris, and to apply water to the site and vehicles leaving the site as needed to minimize dust.

The private property on which this pump station will be constructed has sufficient space for storage.

Construction workers will not be allowed to park their personal vehicles on private property. It is anticipated vehicular parking for construction workers will be within the project site.

The estimated cost for the project is $196.5 million and is financed by the wastewater treatment fees paid by HRSD customers.

Regular project updates are posted on the HRSD website at www.hrsd.com/construction-status. You may also sign up at www.hrsd.com/subscriptions to receive an email notification whenever the website has an update about the project.

Public Information Specialist:: Shawn Maxfield
757.833.7483 (Office)

HRSD Project Manager:: David Steele

Additional Information:: Projects@hrsd.com

Chief of Communications:: Leila Rice, APR
757.460.7056 (Office)

Engineering Consultant Firm:: RK&K

Engineering Consultant Project Lead:: Alex Pope

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"Boat Harbor Land Transmission Pipe Installation"
Boat Harbor Treatment Plant Transmission Force Main Section 2 (Land)
HRSD Capital Improvement Program Project (BH015720)

As part of the Sustainable Water Initiative for Tomorrow (SWIFT) program, HRSD will pump wastewater from Newport News to its Nansemond Treatment Plant in Suffolk. At the Nansemond location, wastewater will be highly treated prior to discharge to the James River. A significant portion of the treated water will undergo additional advanced treatment to produce SWIFT Water^TM which will meet drinking water quality standards. This will further reduce nutrients discharged to the James River Basin and support local water quality and Chesapeake Bay restoration efforts. To connect HRSD’s Boat Harbor Underwater Transmission Pipeline to Nansemond facilities, construction of a 7,000-foot pipeline on land is also required. Pipes to be installed in this area include a 48-inch diameter pipe for wastewater and pipes that will convey treated water to recharge wells that will be installed in the area.

Project Cost: Approximately $38 million

Notices

October 7, 2025 - Traffic Advisory

August 15, 2025 - Traffic Advisory

August 14, 2025 - Traffic Advisory

July 18, 2025 - Traffic Advisory

July 8, 2025 - Traffic Advisory

April 2025 - Construction Notice #1

April 2025 - Notice to Neighbors

November 2022 - Public Notice of Agency Review Period

November 5, 2025

Work is ongoing with installing sanitary sewer pipe along several roads and microtunneling under I-664. The pipe has been staged along the route and welded into several 100-foot-long segments. The casing installation under highway I-664 is complete, and crews are now installing piping inside the casing.

This is not known at this time.

Staging:: Spring 2024

Construction:: Summer 2025 - Late 2026

Restoration:: Immediately following construction when seasonably appropriate.

: This project is a necessary part of Sustainable Water Initiative for Tomorrow (SWIFT), which is an innovative program taking highly treated wastewater effluent that would otherwise be discharged to surface waters and providing additional rounds of advanced water treatment to produce SWIFT WaterTM which will meet drinking water quality standards. The physical limitations at the Boat Harbor Treatment Plant site prevent the ability to provide advanced water treatment at that location, so it is necessary to provide the advanced water treatment at the Nansemond Treatment Plant location. In addition, a financial analysis indicates there is significant long-term cost saving associated with consolidating wastewater treatment and SWIFT facilities at the Nansemond Treatment Plant.
: Disruptions to traffic will be minimized, and in most cases, a single lane of traffic will be maintained. No planned detours are anticipated but flagging will be used to help direct traffic as needed.
: The contractor will ensure that access to residences and at least one entrance to businesses will be maintained throughout construction. Trash and mail services will not be affected. If necessary, the contractor will move trash containers from within a work zone to an area accessible for pickup and will be responsible for returning them to each residence.
: Work will typically take place Monday through Friday during daytime hours (8 a.m. - 4 p.m.). However, there may be times when extended hours, work at night, or weekend work may be necessary.
: There are no planned interruptions to water or sewer service.
: Where sewer pipes are dug up, asphalt, curb, gutters, driveway aprons, and grass will be removed and then restored upon completion of the project.
: The typical construction noises such as equipment engines, back-up alarms, materials being delivered, diesel generators, air compressors, sawing, etc. should be anticipated.
: The contractor has negotiated with a private property owner for a storage area in the project vicinity, and this site will be used for most of the equipment and supplies. The contractor will keep some supplies within the public right-of-way.
: Construction workers will not be allowed to park their personal vehicles on the public streets. However, work trucks will be allowed to park within the active work zone.
: The estimated cost for the project is $52 million and is financed by the wastewater treatment fees paid by HRSD customers. To help offset these costs, the project is partially funded by the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) and Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWRLF).
: Regular project updates are posted on the HRSD website at www.hrsd.com/construction-status. You may also sign up at www.hrsd.com/subscriptions to receive an email notification whenever the website has an update about the project.

Public Information Specialist:: Shawn Maxfield
757.833.7483 (Office)

HRSD Project Manager:: David Steele

Additional Information:: Projects@hrsd.com

Chief of Communications:: Leila Rice, APR
757.460.7056 (Office)

Engineering Consultant Firm:: CDM Smith

Engineering Consultant Project Lead:: Todd Smith

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"Boat Harbor Underwater Transmission Pipe Installation"
Boat Harbor Treatment Plant Transmission Force Main Section 1 (Subaqueous)
HRSD Capital Improvement Program Project (BH015710)

As part of the Sustainable Water Initiative for Tomorrow (SWIFT) program, HRSD will pump wastewater from Newport News to its Nansemond Treatment Plant in Suffolk. At the Nansemond location, wastewater will be highly treated prior to discharge to the James River. A significant portion of the treated water will undergo additional advanced treatment to produce SWIFT Water^TM which will meet drinking water quality standards. This will further reduce nutrients discharged to the James River Basin and support local water quality and Chesapeake Bay restoration efforts. To connect HRSD’s Boat Harbor and Nansemond facilities, construction of 24,000 foot of pipe below the bottom of the James River is required.

Project Cost: Approximately $136 million

Notices

January 2023 - Public Notice of Agency Review Period

November 5, 2025

The underwater installation of pipe in the marine trench is complete. The marine crew is now placing concrete mats on the pipeline and backfilling the trench with river sediment. This portion of the project will continue for several months.

Work continues on the northern shore of the James River, where crews are installing pipe and backfilling.

This is not known at this time.

Staging:: TBD

Construction:: Spring 2023 - Late 2025

Restoration:: Immediately following construction.

This project is a necessary part of Sustainable Water Initiative for Tomorrow (SWIFT), which is an innovative program taking highly treated wastewater effluent that would otherwise be discharged to surface waters and providing additional rounds of advanced water treatment to produce SWIFT WaterTM which will meet drinking water quality standards. The physical limitations at the Boat Harbor Treatment Plant site prevent the ability to provide advanced water treatment at that location, so it is necessary to provide the advanced water treatment at the Nansemond Treatment Plant location. In addition, a financial analysis indicates there is significant long-term cost saving associated with consolidating wastewater treatment and SWIFT facilities at the Nansemond Treatment Plant.

This first part of the project consists of collecting soil samples from the bottom of the James River using a drill rig on a barge. The work is being coordinated with the Coast Guard and other groups that use the river, and this will have minimal impact to boat traffic. Safety measures and communication plans will be placed to ensure that the work is performed safely.

The pipe will be buried in the sediment at the bottom of the river using two methods: horizontal directional drilling or trenching. Horizontal directional drilling uses a large drill to put the pipe in place without digging a trench. Trenching uses equipment on top of the water to dig a trench, set the pipe, and then fill the trench back in again.

Generally, horizontal directional drilling is used in very deep sections of the river where there is a lot of room to set up the equipment, and trenching is used in shallower, more congested areas. But there are other considerations, such as the required slope of the pipe, other utilities, and permit requirements, that must be considered. An evaluation is currently being performed to determine which method will be used in each area.

Horizontal directional drilling will have almost no impact on the environment or aquatic habitats. Almost all of the activity associated with horizontal directional drilling takes place deep in the sediments below the bottom of the river. There will be temporary work platforms set up in the river at the beginning and end of the drilled length. These platforms will be removed when the pipe is installed. Material removed by the drill will be collected and hauled off possibly for disposal or possibly for reuse.

Trenching involves excavating sediments at the bottom of the river and them putting the sediments back over the pipe. Efforts will be made to prevent the sediment spreading around the river. The impacts of the sediment removal and replacement from the trenching operation will not be much different from sediment movements that happen from current and wave action in the river.

The estimated cost for the project is $136 million and is financed by the wastewater treatment fees paid by HRSD customers.

Public Information Specialist:: Shawn Maxfield
757.833.7483 (Office)

HRSD Project Manager:: David Steele

Additional Information:: Projects@hrsd.com

Chief of Communications:: Leila Rice, APR
757.460.7056 (Office)

Engineeting Consultant Firm:: AECOM, Norfolk, VA

Engineering Consultant Project Lead:: David Steele

Notice to Neighbors - April 2021

Public Meeting Notice - April 21, 2021

VIRGINIA BEACH – The Potomac Aquifer Recharge Oversight Committee will hold its quarterly meeting on Friday, April 30, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. via Zoom. Electronic Meeting to be held in Accordance with Chapter 1283, Virginia 2020 Acts of Assembly. More information, including meeting agenda can be found on the Commonwealth Calendar.

Construction Notice Update #12 for the City of Newport News - April 2021

--Abandonment of Existing Old Sewer Pipe--

Construction Notice Update #1 for the City of Chesapeake - April 2021

--Work to Begin--

HRSD, your regional wastewater treatment utility, will begin work to install a new sanitary sewer air vent at the intersection of Berkley Avenue and Wilson Road. This work should take place primarily between the hours of 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday – Friday.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

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