--Utility Work to Begin--
HRSD, your regional wastewater treatment utility, will begin work to install a sanitary sewer pipeline across Armstead Road. This work should take place primarily between the hours of 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday – Friday.
HRSD, your regional wastewater treatment utility, is planning a project in your neighborhood to install a pipeline that will carry flow from the Boat Harbor Pump Station to the Nansemond Treatment Plant. This project is part of the Sustainable Water Initiative for Tomorrow (SWIFT) program. The answers to some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) can be found here.
Project Overview
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"Reducing Rainwater in the Sanitary Sewer System-Suffolk"
High Priority Inflow and Infiltration Reduction Program (GN020300)
Webpage Reviewed: August 5, 2026
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.
October 2025 - Smoke Testing Notice
Project Documents
July 10, 2026 - HPIIRP Project Package #4 (Systemwide Flow Monitoring)
October 31, 2025 - HPIIRP Project Package #1 (Programmatic Activities)
October 31, 2025 - HPIIRP Comprehensive Agreement
September 23, 2025 - HPIIRP Comprehensive Agreement Resolution
December 5, 2025
Smoke testing, CCTV, and Manhole Inspections are complete for now. Field activities will be updated here as they occur.
Fall 2024 - Late 2026
Spring 2026 - Late 2029
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.
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.
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.
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.
Your water and sewer service should not be affected by this project.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
Burns & McDonnell
Virginia Beach, VA
Brad Wenzel
John Pruss
Bryan Canzoneri
--Utility Work to Begin--
HRSD, your regional wastewater treatment utility, will begin work to repair a concrete support for an aerial crossing pipeline along Wilroy Road over the Nansemond River. This work should take place primarily between the hours of 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday – Friday.
Hampton Roads Sanitation District (HRSD) has applied for funding from the Virginia Clean Water Revolving Loan Fund to implement the Wilroy Pressure Reducing Station (PRS) and Offline Storage Facility (OLSF) (CIP project NP014000) in Suffolk.
Project Overview: HRSD, your regional wastewater treatment utility, is undertaking a project to construct a pressure reducing pumping station (PRS) and an offline storage facility. The new facility will be located on HRSD property at 1941 Wilroy Road in Suffolk and is designed to relieve pressures to the wastewater sewer system during wet weather events. What this means is during wet weather events that may cause the sanitary sewer system to be inundated with rainwater, the excess flow will be diverted from the sewer pipes to the storage facility.
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“Wilroy Pressure Reducing Station and Offline Storage Facility”
Wilroy Pressure Reducing Station and Off-line Storage Facility
HRSD Capital Improvement Program Project (NP014000)
Webpage Reviewed: August 6, 2026
HRSD is undertaking a project to construct a pressure reducing pumping station (PRS) and an offline storage facility. The new facility will be located on HRSD property at 1941 Wilroy Road in Suffolk and is designed to relieve pressures to the wastewater sewer system during wet weather events. What this means is during wet weather events that may cause the sanitary sewer system to be inundated with rainwater, the excess flow will be diverted from the sewer pipes to the storage facility. It will be held at the storage facility temporarily. Once the pressure on the sanitary sewer system has returned to normal, the sewage will be released from the storage facility and will flow back into the sewer pipes, where it will then continue on to the treatment plant for treatment. This will help reduce the occurrence of sanitary sewer overflows, which are improvements that are mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The facility will improve system operations, increase flow capacity, and provide reliable sanitary sewer infrastructure for areas of Suffolk and Isle of Wight County.
Project Cost: Approximately $52,250,000
April 2026 - Construction Notice Update #1
March 2026 - Notice to Neighbors
August 2024 - Environmental Assessment Review: Public Notice
June 2024 - Willingness to Hold a Public Open House
August 6, 2026
The contractor is currently installing well points to support dewatering operations within the excavation area. In addition, monitoring wells have been installed around the site to continuously track groundwater level fluctuations. Once all well points have been installed and dewatering is fully operational, the contractor will continue excavation activities in preparation for the building foundation.
Test piles are scheduled to be installed at the end of August for the tank foundation. Following successful testing and acceptance of the test piles, the contractor will proceed with installation of the remaining piles throughout September.
Neighbors should expect ongoing activity involving heavy equipment, dump trucks, concrete trucks, and periodic delivery vehicles. Work will generally occur between 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
The work will be confined to Wilroy Road between US 58 Bypass and Progress Road. Comprehensive traffic control plans will be implemented to minimize inconvenience.
April 2026
Spring 2026 - Fall 2028
Immediately following construction when seasonably appropriate.
This project is part of a larger, federally-mandated program to reduce sewage overflows during rainstorms. This project will provide updated infrastructure that will help ensure HRSD’s ability to protect public health and the environment for decades to come. This project will construct one 3-million-gallon offline storage tank and a pressure reducing pump station. The facility will improve system operations, increase sewage flow capacity, and provide reliable sanitary sewer infrastructure for areas of Suffolk and Isle of Wight County.
We look at several routes/sites to determine what meets HRSD’s needs of availability, price, location of the site, property agreement terms, ease of access to the property for construction and future maintenance.
During wet weather events, the above-ground storage tank will temporarily hold the wastewater to relieve pressures to the sewer system. HRSD needs a storage tank in this area to help reduce the occurrence of sanitary sewer overflows, which are improvements that are mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
This project will follow all related environmental regulations and evaluate opportunities during the design process to minimize impacts to the extent feasible. To achieve this mission, each project is reviewed for all potential environmental impacts and their associated permitting requirements. Specific elements that are under consideration for this project include: wetlands, protected species, and historic resources. During construction, erosion and sediment control measures will be installed, maintained, and regularly inspected to prevent degradation of sensitive resources.
No. While the offline storage facility is being designed and built to handle increased flow during routine wet weather events, its primary role is not intended to collect or treat stormwater. The facility is not sized to prevent all sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs) when named storm events (tropical depressions, tropical storms, hurricanes, etc.) or lengthy nor’easters occur. HRSD’s sanitary sewer treatment system operates separately from the City’s stormwater collection system.
The proposed facility is very safe, with over 10,000 similar facilities constructed over the last 70 years. The facility will be monitored and controlled remotely to observe levels within it and to make sure that they are functioning as designed. HRSD will perform routine internal inspections of the facility to verify its condition, and maintenance will be scheduled based upon these inspections.
The storage facility should not create odor issues. HRSD will install an odor collection and abatement system to treat the air in the tanks. Similar technologies have been proven effective with other HRSD pump stations, wastewater treatment plants, and other odor related facilities.
HRSD, the design team, and the selected contractor will be coordinating closely with Suffolk to minimize impacts on traffic. Lane closures with flaggers 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 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.
Your water and sewer service should not be affected by this project.
Where sewer pipelines 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 equipment engines, back-up alarms, materials being delivered, diesel generators, air compressors, sawing, and associated activities should be anticipated.Suffolk’s noise ordinances will be followed by identifying and dampening excessive noise-generating activities as well as vibration from equipment during construction activities.
The contractor will store the majority of material and equipment on site at 1941 Wilroy Road but may negotiate with a private property owner for an additional storage area in the project vicinity.
Construction workers will park on the project site within HRSD property boundaries. Construction personnel will not be allowed to park their personal vehicles on the public streets.
HRSD operations staff will visit the station multiple times per week to ensure proper facility operation and perform routine maintenance. Monthly and annual preventative maintenance activities will be scheduled for the entire facility and will include additional maintenance activities beyond the day-to-day operations. These additional activities will include running the facility generator for approximately two hours. All regularly scheduled maintenance will occur during our normal operating hours. Exercising the generator on a monthly basis will be scheduled after 8am. There may be times when operations staff is at the facility outside our normal operating hours to take care of unforeseen issues, but these situations should be minimal.
The estimated cost for the project is approximately $53 million and is financed through HRSD Capital Improvement Program with Virginia Clean Water Revolving Loan Fund (VCWRLF) and 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.
Michael Cumberledge
Tim Keefe
Brown and Caldwell, Virginia Beach, VA
Ryan Foshay
Crowder Construction, Virginia Beach, VA
Jeremy Harrison
Adam James
--Demolition Work to Begin--
HRSD, your regional wastewater treatment utility, will begin demolition work at 1941 Wilroy Road. HRSD recently purchased the property to install a pressure reducing station (PRS) and offline storage tank to increase HRSD’s capacity as development of the City of Suffolk continues. The demolition work and clearing will make way for the new PRS and storage tank, which is anticipated to be scheduled for construction in 2024 through 2026.
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"Nansemond Treatment Plant SWIFT Improvements"
Nansemond Treatment Plant Advanced Nutrient Reduction Improvements (ANRI), Phase II
Nansemond SWIFT Facility
Nansemond Recharge Wells (On Site)
HRSD Capital Improvement Program Project (NP013820, GN016380 & GN016381)
Webpage Reviewed: August 6, 2026
HRSD, your regional wastewater treatment utility, is implementing the Sustainable Water Initiative for Tomorrow (SWIFT) Program by constructing the second SWIFT Facility at the Nansemond Treatment Plant to produce a highly-treated water (SWIFT Water®) that meets drinking water standards and is suitable for recharge of the Potomac Aquifer. This Program will help reverse declining groundwater levels, significantly reduce the amount of nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus entering the Chesapeake Bay, and may reduce saltwater intrusion and land subsidence, thereby helping to ensure HRSD’s ability to protect public health and the environment in alignment with HRSD’s Promise and Vision.
Advanced Nutrient Reduction Improvements (ANRI):
Construction for the Advanced Nutrient Reduction Improvements project is ongoing. The installation of conductors to all three new electrical buildings and new motor control centers continues. Rough-in of power and control raceways, wire pulling, and termination preparations continue for Primary Clarifier 5. Stress testing is continuing for Aeration Tank 6 with the newly installed design modifications. Primary gravity thickener mechanisms are being installed in both tanks.
SWIFT Facility:
Preparation of the contractor's staging area, office complex, and access roads to the recharge wells continues. The installation of SWIFT Water supply and backflush lines for Recharge Wells 4, 5, 6, and 7 continues along with stormwater improvements throughout the site. Well drilling activities continue at three sites, and well development continues at two sites.
Together, the overall goal of the Nansemond projects is to help support growth and protect future generations. To learn more about SWIFT or to schedule a tour of the SWIFT Research Center (located at HRSD’s Nansemond Treatment Plant in Suffolk, VA), please visit www.hrsd.com/swift/.
Project Cost: Approximately $952,000,000
August 5, 2026
ANRI: Construction for the Advanced Nutrient Reduction Improvements (ANRI) project is ongoing. Work at Secondary Clarifiers 6 and 7 is complete along with the influent distribution box and Primary Clarifier 5. Work is finishing up at the primary effluent equalization basin, aeration tanks, and primary gravity thickeners.
SWIFT: Preparation of the contractor's staging area, office complex, and access roads to the recharge wells is complete along with stormwater management facilities 1, 2, and 3. Installation of the SWIFT Water supply and backflush lines for Recharge Wells 4, 5, 6, and 7 continues, and stormwater improvements are being made throughout the site. Well drilling activities continue at three sites, and well development continues at one site.
The work will be confined to HRSD property; however, construction traffic will be entering and exiting the site on Armstead Road. Most traffic impacts will begin at College Drive and Interstate 664 heading northwest along College Drive to Armstead Road and then following Armstead Road all the way to the treatment plant. Comprehensive traffic control plans will be implemented to minimize inconvenience.
Construction: Spring 2023 - Fall 2026
Design: Summer 2024 – Summer 2025
Construction: Fall 2025 – Spring 2029
This project will contribute to the broader Sustainable Water Initiative for Tomorrow (SWIFT) Program, which will add advanced water treatment processes, producing highly-treated water (SWIFT Water®) that meets drinking water standards and is suitable for recharge of the Potomac Aquifer. Once complete, the projects at the Nansemond Treatment Plant will improve the existing plant effluent in addition to producing up to 34 million gallons per day of SWIFT water.
This program will help reverse declining groundwater levels, reduce saltwater intrusion, slow or reduce land subsidence, and significantly reduce the amount of nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus entering the Chesapeake Bay, thereby helping to ensure HRSD’s ability to protect public health and the environment for decades to come.
Disruptions to traffic will be minimal, and in most cases, all lanes of traffic will be maintained. No detours are planned or anticipated, but flagging may be used to help direct traffic as needed. All aspects of the project work may be located within HRSD property. The only impacts to traffic will be due to construction equipment entering and leaving the Nansemond Treatment plant via College Drive, between Interstate 664 and Armstead Road, and Armstead Road from College Drive to the treatment plant.
Work will typically take place Monday through Friday during daylight hours (7 a.m. - 4 p.m.). However, there may be occasions when extended hours, work at night, or weekend work may be necessary.
There should not be any interruptions to the water or sewer service in the area.
The construction will not affect the existing pavement. All construction traffic will be permitted to travel on the public roadway.
Typical construction noises such as equipment engines, back-up alarms, materials being delivered, diesel generators, air compressors, sawing, and associated activities should be anticipated.
The contractor will have offices and tool storage facilities on site for the duration of construction. Equipment that is being installed as part of the work may be stored on the plant for short periods of time before it can be located in its permanent location. There will not be any materials or equipment stored in the public right-of way.
Construction workers will park in designated spaces within HRSD property. No personal or company vehicles will be permitted to park on public streets.
The estimated cost for the project is $952 million. The ANRI Facility is approximately $300 million, the SWIFT facility is approximately $570 million, and the recharge wells are approximately $82 million. These projects are financed at the low interest loans from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Virginia Clean Water Revolving Loan Funds and 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 when there are website updates. To learn more about SWIFT or to schedule a tour of the SWIFT Research Center (located at HRSD’s Nansemond Treatment Plant in Suffolk, VA), or take a virtual tour, please visit www.hrsd.com/swift.
The Managed Aquifer Recharge wells are necessary to convey SWIFT Water® to the Potomac Aquifer. There is a total of 19 wells required for conveyance, 11 of which are located on HRSD property and 8 within the adjacent community.
No. The drilling process used to make the borehole for the well uses fluids and is conducted at very low pressures and volumes. The fluids are used to cool the drill bit, help remove the soil cuttings, and keep the borehole open.
No. The well installation process is completely separate from your water and sewer service provided by the City of Suffolk.
No. Drilling is conducted using a rotary drill bit, similar to drilling into wood. The drill bit cuts the soil and removes it from the hole; there is no driving hammer used to advance the hole.
While standing close to the drill rig, the sound can be loud; however, the measurements of sound drop off relatively quickly with distance. At 75 feet from the site, the noise is below the sound of normal city traffic, and at 100 feet from the site, the noise is similar to normal conversation.
The well sites on HRSD property will be drilled on a 24-hour schedule to shorten the overall construction duration.
Drilling on a 24-hour schedule, well installation may take approximately 8 months per well. The entire project should be completed in mid-2028.
The wells will be installed to a total depth of approximately 1,200 feet below the ground surface, with some minor variation at each site. The wells will be designed to interact with the Potomac Aquifer, starting at approximately 400 feet below the ground surface and continuing to the bottom of each well.
Engineering Consultant Firm: Tetra Tech, Virginia Beach, VA
Engineering Consultant Project Lead: Tracy Lewis, PE
Contractor: Garney Construction, Inc. Virginia Beach, VA
Contractor Field Project Manager: Matt McKinnon
Engineering Consultant Firm: Tetra Tech, Inc. and Carollo Engineers, Inc.
Engineering Consultant Project Lead: Tracy Lewis, PE (Tetra Tech, Inc.)
Contractor: Garney Construction, Inc. Virginia Beach, VA
Contractor Pre-Construction Manager: Patrick Costello
Contractor Construction Manager: Matt McKinnon
--Work To Begin--
HRSD, your regional wastewater treatment utility, is undertaking a project to inspect and perform maintenance of the internal sanitary sewer piping and valves along Hillpoint Boulevard. This work should take place primarily between the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. This work can be weather and situation dependent and should not affect your water or sewer services.