Project Background

The Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services, which is responsible for wastewater collection and treatment in Fairfax County, is working on several wastewater infrastructure projects to collect and treat the additional wastewater that is anticipated to come from the northern parts of Fairfax County. The Accotink Gravity Sewer Improvements project is one of these projects. The goal of the project is to increase the capacity of the sewer system to accommodate the anticipated growth in the northern Fairfax County area and to ensure the system continues to provide continuous reliable service to all customers. Since it can take a considerable amount of time to effectively plan, design, construct, and bring these types of facilities online, the county is working on improvements now to stay ahead of these capacity needs.

Project Description

The county has been studying future flow projections for the northern Fairfax County area and has compared these projections to current available capacity. The studies show that facilities in the northern Fairfax County area have insufficient capacity to handle future flows. The studies concluded there is capacity to treat these flows at the county operated Noman Cole Pollution Control Plant, in Lorton VA. Capacity improvements in the sewer collection system are needed to modify and expand the capacity of the existing sewerage system to allow the flows to be transported to this plant for treatment.

Planning activities for this project have been completed and the selected plan will involve the construction of approximately 15,000 feet on new sewer pipe which will be integrated with the existing sewerage system to provide the capacity needed.

Project Location

Project Phase

The project is in construction.

Timeline

What to Expect

Area residents, business owners, and other key stakeholders located near the selected pipeline route will have an opportunity to hear a presentation on our planning process and provide input on the selected route. The county will publish information from this presentation on the project website. The project will be transitioning into design related activities soon. During design, more specific information will be developed for the project and the county will continue with a public outreach program and will begin to target specific stakeholders who may be directly impacted by the project. During construction residents in the vicinity of the construction project will be informed in advance as the construction activities are scheduled and begin in their neighborhoods.  The Contractor and County will provide direct contact to people closest to the work and will work with the Board of Supervisors offices to keep the more broad-based community informed.

Project Cost and Funding Source

The construction cost is $75M. The project is being funded through Sewer Use fees and Availability Charges which are assessed when new connections are made to the system.

Presentations to the Community

A virtual public meeting to review the project and answer questions from the community was held May 24, 2022.

Contact

For more information, please email the project manager, Thomas Grala at Thomas.Grala@fairfaxcounty.gov.