Capital Improvement Projects Meet Infrastructure Needs, Boosts Economic Development

Capital Improvement Projects (CIPs) allow localities to meet critical infrastructure needs while contributing to economic development. The Department of Public Utilities (DPU) completes and begins many CIP projects that positively impact our customers, as well as the residents and visitors of our region and state.

 In 2009, as part of the Chesapeake Bay Restoration Program, DPU began upgrading the Wastewater Treatment Plant. The $156 million series of projects included improvements for the removal of more nitrogen and phosphorous pollutants.

Stormwater improvements on S. Kinsley Avenue

The Water Treatment Plant saw improvements as well, the most notable being the installation of the last roof on the treated water basin. Many general plant and electrical upgrades were also completed.
Stormwater projects include work in Manchester on a combined sewer overflow regulator. The Fan District has a new green alley on the 1900 block of Grove Avenue that will help absorb stormwater and eliminate flooding. Improvements on 14th Street in the Downtown area include stormwater absorbing plantings and tree wells.

Rounding out DPU’s five utilities, other projects include the ongoing replacement of natural gas lines throughout the city and upgraded streetlights in the western part of the Fan District. All CIPs are planned and implemented as part of the comprehensive plan to make the best Richmond.

By design, CIPs cost more than $25,000 and have an expected life greater than the life of any debt used to fund the project. They require public funds for the purchase, construction, enhancement or replacement of physical infrastructure assets.

Cover on treated water tank

E. 2nd Street combined sewer overflow regulator project

Chemical systems improvements at Wastewater Plant

DPU's Role in Keeping The Lead Out

The City of Richmond Department of Public Utilities (DPU) has been monitoring and addressing the potential for lead contamination of drinking water for more than 20 years. When the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued its Lead and Copper Rule in 1991, DPU began collecting data and making changes to its system to maintain compliance with all requirements. The EPA’s Lead and Copper Rule focuses on treatment techniques for lead and requires water systems to control the corrosivity of the water and conduct monitoring as needed. DPU did testing as part of the “Loop Study” to best determine the optimal chemical, chemical dose and pH to  keep lead from leaching into the city's drinking water.

DPU's Water Treatment Cycle

Over the years, DPU has upgraded its systems to ensure proper chemical doses. There will also be a new calcium hydroxide system going into service in the next two months to better control the pH of the finished water. DPU monitors the pH of the water with online equipment that provides instantaneous results, and also runs tests twice a day to verify proper chemical dosage.

Lead Testing

In addition to the process control performed at the Water Treatment Plant, water that leaves the plant is also monitored. It is tested for lead content by the Virginia Department of Consolidated Laboratories once a year. The results for this testing have always been well below the 15 µg/L action level set by EPA.

Every three years DPU is required to collect water samples from customers at 50 different locations throughout the service area. These samples are tested for lead and copper concentrations and the report is submitted to the Virginia Department of Health. Since the program started, the system has been in compliance for both lead and copper levels.

As needed, based on information or a request that indicates there may be a lead issue at a specific customer location (e.g., medical exam may show high levels of lead in the body, or lead pipes or lead solder is discovered during plumbing repairs), the city will conduct sampling at the site and provide the customer with the results of the testing. This not a frequent issue. Over the last four years, DPU has responded to 24 requests and all results have come back below the EPA action levels.

What You Can Do

The water service line, after the water meter, and the pipes in all buildings are owned by the property owner and they decide how and when to renew those pipes. When pipes are replaced, it must be done so in compliance with current codes and lead-free fixture standards.

If customers are concerned about the possibility of lead in drinking water, they should flush the taps by letting the water run for at least 60 seconds. If your dwelling has a lead service line, you should flush water for an additional two to three minutes to ensure you're getting fresh water from the water main. To conserve water, you can collect the water being flushed and use for cleaning purposes or watering plants.

Why Hot Water Doesn't Last Through Two Showers

Two roommates think something is wrong with their water heater because there is never enough hot water for both of them to take showers.

They said they each spend about 10 minutes in the shower.

A 10 minute shower uses 50 gallons of water. The average water heater holds about 50 gallons, so the first person in the shower gets enough hot water. But the second roommate has an issue if they want to take their 10 minute shower immediately afterward or at the same time in another bathroom. It takes two hours for an electric water heater to fully recover and reheat another 50 gallons.

This is one of the clear advantages of a natural gas powered water heater, as natural gas would reheat 50 gallons in an hour or less. (Tankless natural gas water heaters heat as the water goes through the pipes, so there is no waiting time at all.) The roommates think their water heater is electric, so here are their options:

Second roommate will have to wait two hours before he or she takes their shower. Or....

Each roommate can make an agreement and set a timer to take a shorter shower, 5 minutes or less. You can do it!

Add an insulating blanket to your water heater to speed up the recovery and  keep the water as warm as possible as new cold water enters to refill the tank.

Ask your landlord to check if one of the heating elements on the water heater has burnt out. If that's the case, it is taking considerably longer for the water heater to recover and the hot water runs out quickly, even before the first shower ends.

How Much Water Am I Using?

Household faucets - 3-5 gallons a minute when running
Shower - 5-10 gallons a minute
Tub bath - 50 gallons if full
Dishwasher - 15-20 gallons per load
Washing machine - 35 gallons per average full load cycle
Lawn watering - 35 gallons per half acre
Dripping faucet - 1,000 gallons per year

Take this Natural Gas Safety Quiz!

1. Which of the following signs may indicate a natural gas leak? 

a. A rotten egg or sulfur odor 

b. A hissing sound 

c. Bubbles appearing in outdoor puddles 

d. All of the above 

e. Don’t know 

2. If you suspect or detect a possible natural gas leak, what should you do? There may be more than one right answer to this one.

a. Leave the area on foot 

b. Call 911 from a safe distance 

c. Avoid turning on/off switches 

d. Call the Department of Public Utilities at 646-7000 

e. Attempt to find the leak 

f. Don’t know 

3. How does natural gas get to your home? 

a. Underground pipelines 

b. Delivered by truck 

c. Don’t know 

4. If you are planning to dig, what do you need to do before you start? 

a. Call the Department of Public Utilities

b. Call 811 

c. Do nothing 

d. Don’t know 

Answers (Scroll over the blank line below and they will appear!)

1) d  2) a-d  3) a 4) b

History of the Combined Sewer Overflow Project

A Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) is a discharge of untreated storm and wastewater from a combined sewer into the environment. CSOs typically occur when combined sewers fill up with too much water for the system to handle, most often during heavy rains, and the excess water is released into a stream or river.

Richmond's CSO system is the largest in the state of Virginia. The area serviced by Richmond's CSO system is approximately 12,000 acres.

During dry weather, combined sewer systems carry all the sanitary flow to wastewater treatment plants. During times of rainfall, however, the amount of rain adds to the amount of flow going to the treatment plant. This heavier flow is greater than the capacity of the combined sewer system. When the flow exceeds the capacity, the excess flow is discharged directly to the river at various overflow points in the sewer system. In Richmond, the major overflow points are found on the banks of the James River and Gillies Creek.

Richmond's CSO system is financed through state and federal grant funding, state low-interest loans, and rate payers.

The CSO program began in 1970. Here's the timeline:

1972: Study recommends construction of a retention basin for the Shockoe CSO area.
1974: Initiation of a comprehensive CSO study, including extensive CSO sampling.
1978: Temporary suspension of the 1974 CSO study, awaiting the outcome of State of Virginia James River water quality studies.
1983: Completion of the construction of the Shockoe CSO area retention basin.
1985: Completion of State of Virginia Water Quality Model of the James River. Resumption of 1974 CSO study.
1987: Initiation of construction of wastewater treatment plant improvements to increase plant capacity during wet weather events to allow emptying of Shockoe CSO area retention basin in two days and to accept additional wet weather flow.
1988: Completion of the comprehensive CSO study defining the Long Term Control Plan (LTCP) for the CSOs.
1990: City completes the implementation of the initial elements (Phase I) of the approved plan.
1992: State Water Control Board issues a Special Order requiring implementation of additional elements included in Phase II of the plan. This Special Order includes a requirement 7(d) to Re-Evaluate the CSO Control Plan, at the end of Phase II to determine if changes should be made to the approved plans.
1996: The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) amended the Special Order to accelerate all the Northside CSO Control Projects and place on hold the swirl concentration project because this technology had not produced, nationwide, the expected results.
1998: City places in operation all CSO conveyance projects on the south and north sides of the James River.
1999: The DEQ Piedmont Regional office issues a Special Order by Consent requiring the city to advance the schedule of the re-evaluation of the CSO Control Plan consistent with the EPA National CSO Control Policy.
2002: City completes CSO Re-Evaluation Report.
2003: City places in operation CSO Retention Tunnel on the north side of the James River.
2006: Completion of the Program Project Plan that shows the master plan for the Phase III CSO Controls.
2007: The DEQ is evaluating the water quality standards and developing a water quality model as part of the Richmond Area Total Maximum Daily Load.

Shelter Dog Gets a Job with the City

Dual dog kennel at the Water Plant.

Bulletin! Duck Dynasty was adopted late in July. The new dog at the Water Plant is Valerie.

His name is Duck Dynasty, aka D2, and Richmond Animal Care and Control rescued him from a life on the streets about two months ago. After a month in the city's animal shelter at 1600 Chamberlayne Avenue, Duck D, a neutered, male, three or four-year-old
hound mix who gets along well with other dogs, got an important assignment.

He would be the first dog to live in the new dual kennel at the city's Water Plant on the river, and his job would be to discourage the ducks and geese from loitering around the 37-acre plant, leaving a trail of guano in their wake. In exchange, he is learning about socializing with a variety of people and hanging out quietly in offices when he's not in his kennel. "He's out of the pen more often than not," says Ricky Hatfield, plant superintendent.

The program was funded by the Richmond Animal Welfare Foundation. After Duck D is adopted into his forever home, other dogs will have the opportunity to live at the Water Plant. Water Plant staff, who are at the plant seven days a week, 24 hours a day, take Duck D with them on their security patrols day and night, or bring him into the offices on hot or rainy days.

Is that a deer? A duck? A beaver?

DPU Director Bob Steidel, Water Plant Program Manager Arnold Eberly, Utility Plant Superintendent Ricky Hatfield, and Richmond Animal Care and Control Director Christie Peters welcome Duck Dynasty to the Water Plant as a "city employee."