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The Hampton Roads Sanitation District chose Garney to design and build a $952 million wastewater treatment plant in Suffolk, Virginia, according to a company press release shared with Construction Dive. The new Nansemond treatment plant facility aims to address pollution in the Chesapeake Bay and protect eastern Virginia’s groundwater supply.
Garney, based in North Kansas City, Missouri, will lead the project team, which includes:
- Tetra Tech, based in Pasadena, California, as lead design engineer.
- Carollo Engineers, based in Walnut Creek, California, specializes in advanced treatment design.
- MEB of Chesapeake, Virginia as the contracting partner.
Wastewater is a booming business at the moment – big AEC companies like now Jacobs, WSP i AECOM are focusing heavily on water projects, executives said on the latest earnings call.
The project is part of the sanitation district Sustainable Water Initiative for Tomorrowwhich aims to ensure a sustainable source of groundwater for the region and address critical environmental challenges. Specifically, SWIFT aims to reduce nutrient discharge into the Chesapeake Bay, replenish groundwater levels in the Potomac Aquifer, combat sea level rise, protect against saltwater intrusion, and provide essential water resources for businesses.
The facility will use advanced treatment methods including biofiltration, granular activated carbon and ultraviolet disinfection to convert wastewater into high-quality drinking water, according to the release. This treated water will recharge the Potomac Aquifer, Eastern Virginia’s primary source of groundwater, through 19 managed recharge wells.
According to the project website, the ANRI facility costs approximately $300 million, the SWIFT facility is approximately $570 million, and the recharge wells are approximately $82 million. It is financed by low-interest loans from the EPA and Virginia Clean Water Revolving Loan Funds, as well as wastewater treatment fees paid by HRSD customers.
Construction will begin in the fall of 2025, and the facility is expected to begin operating in the spring of 2029, according to the project’s website.
