Pipe installation under Little Hunting Creek was paused in June 2025 after two failed drilling attempts using Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD). The drill could not be completed safely due to the unstable soil under the creek.
Since June 2025, the project team worked with HDD experts to understand what went wrong and to redesign the bore and drilling approach. Construction resumed in February 2026 with new design.
We recognize that the construction, drilling issues, and extended pause on this project have been disruptive and frustrating. Thank you for your continued patience as we work to complete it by Fall 2026.
What is Happening Now:
We are drilling under Little Hunting Creek using HDD.
Right now, we are in the “reaming” phase. This means we are slowly and incrementally making the bore larger. The final bore will be about 54 inches wide so it can safely fit the new 36 inch high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe.
⚠️ Pipe Pullback (04/13/2026 - 04/15/2026) ⚠️
Pipe pullback (pulling the HDPE pipe through the bore hole) is the most important step of this HDD work. More than 1,000 feet of pipe will be pulled under the creek from the Wessynton Swim & Tennis Club to the Little Hunting Creek Pump Station.
Once pullback starts, crews must keep working until the pipe is all the way through. If the pull stops, we risk the pipe soils under the creek becoming unstable and the pipe getting stuck as it did on the previous attempts.
| Location | What is Happening | What to Expect for HDD Installation |
|---|
| Little Hunting Creek Pump Station (Thomas J. Stockton Pkwy & Londonderry Rd) | Main HDD entry point, drilling, and mud recycling site | Frequent construction equipment traffic and steady engine noise through May 2026. |
| Wessynton Forest Trail | Pipe storage and preparation | Trail is now closed. For your safety, please stay off the trail. Restoration work will follow HDD completion. |
| Wessynton Swim & Tennis Club | HDD pipe exit point | Limited access, construction traffic, and noise through May 2026, especially during pipe pullback. Restoration work will take place in May. |
| Wessynton Way | Pipe delivery route and pullback support | 04/13/2026 to 04/15/2026: Closed to through-traffic at the Swim & Tennis Club entrance. |
| Mt Vernon Hwy (VA-235) | Pipe pullback support and traffic control | 04/14/2026 & 04/15/2026: Two of the three lanes between Wessynton Way and Cunningham Dr will be closed. The remaining lane will stay open with flaggers directing traffic. Expect slow traffic and short delays. |
| Surrey Dr & Common Area | No HDD drilling work now | Final pipe connection (tie-in) to the existing sewer system planned for August 2026, followed by restoration. |
Stay Safe and Informed:
- Safety First: Please stay clear of construction zones, equipment, and heavy trucks to help keep you and our crews safe.
- Email Updates: To get updates by email or share concerns, please contact the Project Manager, Kathy D. Ovalle La Torre.
