4 days ago
With sewage spill ‘fully contained,' Hopewell focuses on fixing problem that caused it
Authorities in Hopewell say the major spillage of 1.38 million gallons of raw sewage into the James River July 12 has been 'fully contained' and the electrical issue that they believe caused it has been fixed.
A statement from city spokesperson Ginger Holland said Hopewell Water Renewal personnel 'successfully restored full operational capacity' to the plant on Hummel Ross Road in east Hopewell late Saturday afternoon . Working with a third-party contractor, HWR staff was able to repair the faulty wiring that led to the power failure and ultimately the spill.
A permanent repair is still scheduled for July 18.
Shortly before midnight Friday, July 11, authorities said the headworks where sewage enters the plant to be treated malfunctioned, causing the sewage to overflow into Gravely Run Creek, which feeds into the James River.
The Virginia Department of Health estimated that between 50,000-100,000 gallons of raw sewage escaped the plant per hour.
'The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has been notified that the situation is fully contained and all systems are functioning properly,' Holland said in the statement. 'There has been no disruption to residential sewer service, and the drinking water supply remains safe.'
Even though the water was deemed safe to drink, VDH issued a recreational advisory for Gravely Run Creek and both sides of the James River from City Point down to Berkeley Plantation in Charles City County. That means people should avoid swimming, wading and paddle-boating in the water.
VDH said the advisory remains in effect until further notice.
For questions or additional information about water concerns, contact Hopewell Water Renewal at (804) 541-2210.
This is a developing story.
This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: Hopewell says sewage spill contained, power back on at treatment plant
