The Virginia Department of Health says water in Hopewell appears safe to drink but not to swim or play in after a power failure at the city wastewater plant July 11 forced a spillage of one million gallons of sewage into the James River and a few of the city’s waterways.
On July 12, VDH and the Crater Health District issued a recreational swimming advisory for Gravely Run Creek and the James River from City Point to Berkeley Plantation. The advisory asks that no one swim, wade or paddle-boat in either the creek or the entire width of the river between Hopewell and Berkeley and emphasizes “avoidance with the shoreline through the extent of the river until further notice.”
Stormy conditions Saturday afternoon could help keep water recreation low on the James.
What happened?
A statement from Hopewell said the power failure was caused by faulty wiring and happened just before midnight at the area of the plant where raw sewage from homes and businesses enters. That spot, called a “headworks,” prepares the water for further cleaning by filtering out debris such as rags and plastics that could clog the system.
As a result, raw sewage overflowed into both Gravely Run Creek and, ultimately, the river.
The city has not confirmed how much spillage was done, but VDH spokesperson Brookie Crawford told The Progress-Index that between 50,000-100,000 gallons of raw sewage per hour was flowing into the creek.
Hopewell spokesperson Ginger Holland said in a statement that Hopewell Water Renewal personnel “quickly responded and mobilized contractors to restore the affected systems.” The headworks was expected to be functioning properly by the end of the day June 12.
“A permanent repair is scheduled to be completed by Friday, July 18,” Holland said.
Safe for consumption
Both VDH and Hopewell said there were no apparent health threats to the city’s drinking water supply, but VDH said that issue will be continuously evaluated.
“There is no impact to residential sewer service, and drinking water remains safe,” Holland said in the city’s statement.
The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality has been called in to assist with future assessments.
‘What if I touch the bad water?’
VDH offers advice for dealing with the water issue:
Avoid any area of the waterbody where there is water with a foul or chemical odor, dead or dying fish, or discolored water.
Promptly wash skin with soap and water if you cannot avoid contact with water in the vicinity.
Rinse or wash items that come into contact with the water, including clothing, fishing gear, life vests, ropes and paddles.
Should you start feeling sick, VDH recommends that you immediately seek medical care and tell the attending healthcare professional about when and where you came in contact with the affected water.
Visit www.SwimHealthyVa.com for ways to stay safe while recreating in natural waterbodies.
This is a developing story.
Bill Atkinson (he/him/his) is an award-winning journalist who covers breaking news, government and politics. Reach him at batkinson@progress-index.com or on X (formerly known as Twitter) at @BAtkinson_PI.
This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: Sewage spill in Hopewell prompts state, city to issue advisories