RiverRenew, the largest infrastructure project in Alexandria’s history, is coming online on Wednesday, July 1.
John Hill, chair of AlexRenew‘s board of directors, said that replacing Old Town’s 19th century combined sewer system with a tunnel system and sewer infrastructure has been a “gargantuan” task. The wastewater project will divert approximately 120 million gallons of raw sewage from flowing into the Potomac River every year.
“In the past, Alexandria had over 70 overflows each year – almost every time we had more than a quarter inch of rain,” Hill said. “With RiverRenew operational, we expect fewer than four overflows each year.”
The Virginia General Assembly mandated in 2017 that the work must be completed by July 1, 2025, and later approved a one-year extension. AlexRenew, which is Alexandria’s wastewater treatment authority, managed the multimillion-dollar project using Hazel the tunnel-boring machine to dig a 12-foot-wide, two-mile-long waterfront tunnel.
“Its scale is gargantuan,” Hill said. “[A] 12-foot-diameter tunnel that runs for over two miles under Old Town, connecting four separate outfall locations. A pumping station that can lift 20 million gallons of sewage up 150 feet to AlexRenew’s treatment plant every day. They also expanded the treatment facility to process an additional eight million gallons of sewage per day.”
Then-Gov. Terry McAuliffe signed House Bill 2383 and Senate Bill 898 into law in 2017, mandating that Alexandria must start remediating its four combined sewer outfalls by 2023 and finish the project by July 1, 2025.
When enacted, then-Del. Mark Levine (D-45) said the city was handed an impossible task with an unrealistic timeline.
“If unicorns can fly then maybe we’ll get it done by 2025,” Levine said.
Levine was right, as the General Assembly later approved a one-year extension with a project completion date of July 1, 2026.
Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell (D-34), who spearheaded the effort in the General Assembly, said Alexandria exceeded expectations by finishing the project.
“The City of Alexandria did what they told us was impossible and in the process made the single biggest improvement to their sewer storm water and water quality system for the Potomac River in 70 years,” Surovell wrote on Facebook. “Congratulations to all involved!”
A ribbon cutting for the project will begin at 9 a.m. Wednesday, July 1.
