Hunter Mill-Area Residents Organizing Against Septic Site

A group of Hunter Mill-area residents is organizing against the proposed septic waste disposal site for Lake Fairfax Maintenance Area 6.

The Hunter Mill Defense League (HDML) this week sent Hunter Mill Supervisor Cathy Hudgins a petition with more than 500 signatures in opposition to relocating the septic dump from Colvin Run in Great Falls to the Lake Fairfax spot, located on Hunter Mill Road on the Reston/Vienna line.

About 21,000 homes in Fairfax County are not tied into the public sewer and must have their septic tanks cleaned out every five years and dumped in one of two county receiving facilities. The septage sites also receive waste from portable toilets and grease from restaurants.

Haulers make about 6,000 trips to the Colvin Run site annually — far too many for a narrow road like Hunter Mill to accommodate so many trucks, residents say.

“Since 1985, the Hunter Mill Road community has been unanimous in its desire to maintain development in the corridor in accordance with the established comprehensive plan,” wrote HMDL President David Bell in the letter to Hudgins.

“We have repeatedly voiced this opinion in battling proposals for high-density development at the Toll Road interchange, in the development of the Wiehle metro station, in developing traffic-calming measures and in negotiating in good faith the Special Exception permitting the Oakcrest School project,” the letter continues. “In each of these instances, the message from the community, your constituents, has remained the same — develop in accordance with the comprehensive plan.”

“Given that, many in the community are incredulous that this proposal, for what can best be described as an industrial use, has even been brought before the community by our elected and appointed leaders for consideration.

This week, county officials said all progress will be halted for six months while the county and consultants from Hazen and Sawyer consider other options.

A feasibility study by Hazen and Sawyer said it would cost $3.4 million to build a new, odor-controlled, secure facility at Lake Fairfax.

Meanwhile, the Colvin Run Septage Receiving Site will be temporarily closed in June for safety reasons due to the ongoing construction of the Difficult Run Pump Station. The site will be closed for about two years, Hudgins’ office said.

Want to sign the petition or get involved? The HDML will hold a petition drive/rally at 3 p.m. Saturday at the intersection of Park Lake Drive and Lake Fairfax Drive. You can also sign online.

HMDL Letter to Catherine Hudgins Supervisor HunterMill District

Photo: One-lane bridge on Hunter Mill Road near proposed septage receiving site.