Herndon moves to address sewer needs amid planned growth

RestonNow.com July 13, 2023 at 1:34pm

Sewer station — The town is exploring ways to add more capacity to its sewer station (courtesy Town of Herndon)

Additional growth in the Town of Herndon is prompting town officials to consider adding additional capacity to its sewer system.

At a Herndon Town Council work session on Tuesday (July 11), Public Works Director Tammy Chastain told the council that the town is working with Fairfax County to install a new sewer pump station. The project would take roughly two years to design and three years to construct.

Additional development and growth — particularly in the Herndon Transit-Oriented Core and the Transit Related Growth areas — is expected to place more strain on public utilities overall, Chastain said. The town is in the midst of planning ways to accommodate that growth, she said.

“We need to look at our utilities,” Chastain said.

The town is considering two sites for the pump station. So far, officials are favoring a site opposite Marjorie Lane and Herndon Parkway that preserves an undeveloped area and does not require any easements. The location is also further away from historic structures and a swim club, Chastain said.

The area will flow into the Sugarland Run sewer lane.

Chastain said the pump station is needed because the capacity of the regional Potomac Interceptor is maxed out.

The county will share the cost and capacity of the project. The timing of the project is dependent on development, Chastain said.