Potomac River Cleanup Extension Rejected by Legislature

ALEXANDRIA, VA -- On Wednesday, the Republican-controlled Virginia House and Senate rejected Gov. Terry McAuliffe's amendments to bills that would extend the time Alexandria has to stop wastewater flow into the Potomac.

The Republican-backed SB 898 and HB 2383 passed this year would require Alexandria to begin remediating its four combined sewer systems starting July 1, 2023 and complete the project by July 1, 2025. McAuliffe proposed moving the deadlines to 2024 and 2027, respectively.

The amendments would have also allowed the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality to grant six month extensions up to 2030 and collect annual progress reports.

Del. Mark Levine (D-Alexandria) said McAuliffe could veto a bill without the amendments, which leaves Alexandria to set its own project timeline, InsideNoVa reported.

Local officials and and Alexandria's General Assembly representatives had praised McAuliffe's amendments, saying it was more reasonable than Republicans' timeline.

Longstanding concerns about wastewater flowing into the Potomac prompted the bills this year. Alexandria is one of 860 cities faced with tackling combined sewer systems due to regulations under the Clean Water Act. Cities like Richmond Lynchburg face similar concerns.

Residential, commercial, and non-profit customers could see their sewer fees increase to remediate the combined sewer systems. Under the city's proposed fiscal year 2018 budget, the sewer fee would rise from $1.40 to $1.82 per 1,000 gallons and the solid waste fee from $363 to $373. The city is set to implement a stormwater utility fee in 2018. The capital budget of $368 million accounts for sewer fee increases through 2027.

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