Hopewell City Council weighs future of wastewater treatment facility after recent sewage spill

HOPEWELL, Va. — The future of Hopewell’s wastewater treatment facility was at the center of discussion Thursday night as City Council considered how to improve the aging plant.

It comes after a power failure last month sent about a million gallons of sewage into nearby waterways.

During a special meeting on Thursday, Aug. 7, council members heard three options to strengthen operations after years of neglect. The options included hiring a CEO, contracting out the plant’s management or selling the facility.

The recommendations presented by the Robert Bobb Group stem from a 2023 Dewberry report that identified critical infrastructure issues, long before the July 11 sewage spill brought the facility’s problems back into focus.

Mayor Johnny Partin blamed the previous council and said they failed to prioritize capital investments at the plant.

“There’s blame to go around on everybody,” Partin said, after the advisory report was presented. “The study was done back in 2023, and here we are two years later, and we have not made any progress on improving the operations down there at the plant."

Vice Mayor Rita Joyner also shared the same sentiments and called the situation embarrassing and disappointing.

A separate 2023 study by the environmental engineering consulting firm Hazen & Sawyer also revealed several staffing challenges.

The firm said the plant is understaffed by 17 positions and recommended filling the largest operational gaps which were identified in the Maintenance and Operations departments. According to the firm, these staffing shortages led to inadequate safety oversight.

“The bottom line is we need to invest in some personnel,” Joyner said. “And it really has to be a matter of urgency.”

According to the Dewberry report, more than $21 million in investments are needed to make a dozen immediate improvements to ensure the plant remains reliable. It also recommends more in depth studies and a phased approach to prioritizing safety.

Partin said the council would explore state and federal funding to pay for the work.

“You’ve got a city council now that is very committed and focused to capital investment and to operational excellence, and we’re going to continue to show improvements,” he said.

The council has not set a timeline for making a decision. Partin said they will need to consider costs and the pros and cons of each option.