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"Reducing Rainwater in the Sanitary Sewer System-Suffolk"
High Priority Inflow and Infiltration Reduction Program (GN020300)Webpage Reviewed: March 10, 2026
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HRSD is undertaking a project to identify, design, and construct important improvements in your community to help reduce the amount of rainwater that gets into the sanitary sewer system through inflow and infiltration. This project will include rehabilitating and replacing damaged public sanitary sewer pipes, service lateral connections, and manholes along with a limited number of privately-owned sanitary sewer systems as part of a voluntary private inflow and infiltration program. The result of this work will help reduce the occurrence of sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs) caused by rainfall events, protecting public health and our region’s waterways.
HRSD will assess the sanitary sewer systems in the project areas identified in the Regional Wet Weather Management Plan (RWWMP), located in Chesapeake, James City County, Newport News, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Williamsburg, and York County. Working in collaboration with Locality Partners and private landowners, HRSD will identify and reduce the volume of SSOs through the cost-effective reduction of Inflow and Infiltration. This Program is part of HRSD’s Consent Decree with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Early work includes collecting public and privately-owned sanitary sewer system condition assessment data, evaluating rainfall and sewer flows, and reviewing the data to determine where rainwater and groundwater may be entering these sanitary sewer systems and contributing to sewer overflows. The data will also be used to identify and prioritize potential future inflow and infiltration reduction project work areas and implementation schedules. Data collection activities may involve sewer flow monitoring, smoke testing of the sanitary sewer systems, closed-circuit television (CCTV) inspections of public and private sewers and service laterals, dye testing, and manhole inspections. Once all data is collected, the project team will determine which repairs will be more cost-effective than transporting and treating the associated rainwater and groundwater. The project team will then design and construct the recommended improvements. When complete, these projects will reduce the volume of SSOs into our local waterways.
Please use the map below to view work that is currently occurring in your area.
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Notices
October 2025 - Smoke Testing Notice
Project Documents
October 31, 2025 - HPIIRP Project Package #1 (Programmatic Activities)
October 31, 2025 - HPIIRP Comprehensive Agreement
September 23, 2025 - HPIIRP Comprehensive Agreement Resolution
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December 5, 2025
Smoke testing, CCTV, and Manhole Inspections are complete for now. Field activities will be updated here as they occur.
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- Engineering Planning and Design:
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Fall 2024 - Late 2026
- Potential Construction:
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Spring 2026 - Late 2029
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This project is a necessary part of a larger, federally mandated program to reduce sanitary sewer overflows during rainstorms. This project will assess and update sewer infrastructure that will help HRSD protect public health and local waterways for decades to come.
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Disruptions to traffic will be minimized, and in most cases, a single lane of traffic in each direction will be maintained. No planned detours are anticipated, but flagging will be used to help direct traffic as needed. Most of the project work will be located within the public right-of way and work will not happen on private property without advance notice.
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The contractor will maintain access to each residence and at least one entrance to businesses. 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.
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Work will typically take place Monday through Friday during daylight hours (7 a.m. - 5 p.m.). However, there may be times when extended hours, work at night, or weekend work may be necessary.
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Your water and sewer service should not be affected by this project.
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When necessary, the contractor will negotiate 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 active work zone, in the public right-of way.
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Contractors 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.
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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.
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A limited number of sanitary sewer systems located on private property serving residential, commercial, or industrial land uses will be evaluated in areas that contribute to local Sanitary Sewer Overflows (SSOs).
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While landowner participation in the private inflow and infiltration program is voluntary, it is strongly encouraged to help reduce the size of future wastewater utility infrastructure investments required to convey and treat inflow and infiltration and to reduce sanitary sewer overflows impacting our local rivers and the Chesapeake Bay.
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HRSD will be reaching out by letter directly to a limited number of private landowners in each project area to obtain permission to inspect their private sanitary sewer system to determine if rainwater and groundwater are entering the private sewer system.
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- Public Information Specialist:
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Lisa Bolen
757.460.7000 (Office)
- HRSD Project Manager:
- Nicholas Taschner
- Additional Information:
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Projects@hrsd.com
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- Chief Communication Officer:
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Leila Rice, APR
757.460.7056 (Office)
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- Engineering Consultant Firm:
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Burns & McDonnell
Virginia Beach, VA
- Engineering Consultant Project Lead:
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Brad Wenzel
- Design-Builder Program Manager:
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John Pruss
- Design-Builder Deputy Program Manager:
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Bryan Canzoneri