Lake Barcroft residents charge county mishandled sewage spills
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| Work under way June 25 at the pumping station on Sleepy Hollow Road. |
Residents of Lake Barcroft brought a long list of complaints
to a meeting June 25 convened by Mason Supervisor Penny Gross on the recent
sewage spills.
to a meeting June 25 convened by Mason Supervisor Penny Gross on the recent
sewage spills.
Emotions ran high as people demanded answers to their
concerns about health hazards, poor engineering decisions, lack of accountability,
environmental damage, and insufficient notification of residents.
concerns about health hazards, poor engineering decisions, lack of accountability,
environmental damage, and insufficient notification of residents.
There have been four separate spills in the past two months,
resulting in a total of up to 413,000 gallons of sewage in the lake. Three of
them originated at the pumping station on Sleepy Hollow Road, which was built
in 1959.
The first spill, and by far the largest, occurred when
temporary pumps at the station failed during a storm on April 29. The temporary pumps were in use as part of a $1.6 million project to install a liner inside the force
main along Sleepy Hollow Road. Two of the later leaks happened when the connection between the force main and
pump station failed.
Randy Bartlett, deputy director of the Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services (DPWES), said DNA testing of water samples showed elevated
levels of bacteria at various locations around the lake, but it couldn’t be determined
if they were due to the sewage spills or stormwater runoff, since there was also bacteria
upstream at Tripps Run and Holmes Run.
levels of bacteria at various locations around the lake, but it couldn’t be determined
if they were due to the sewage spills or stormwater runoff, since there was also bacteria
upstream at Tripps Run and Holmes Run.
Michael Meuller, environmental laboratory manager in the
wastewater planning and monitoring division in DPWES, later said there were
20,000 cfu (colony-forming units) per 100 milliliter of E. coli in lake water
on May 16. The standard is 235 cfu. E. coli is an indicator of fecal
contamination and other disease-bearing pathogens. “I’m not going to say it’s
safe,” he said.
wastewater planning and monitoring division in DPWES, later said there were
20,000 cfu (colony-forming units) per 100 milliliter of E. coli in lake water
on May 16. The standard is 235 cfu. E. coli is an indicator of fecal
contamination and other disease-bearing pathogens. “I’m not going to say it’s
safe,” he said.
Bartlett said his department is working with the Lake
Barcroft Watershed Improvement District (WID) to get more baseline testing
information, improve communications systems at the pump stations, clear backups at manholes, and install emergency
generators at the pump stations.
Barcroft Watershed Improvement District (WID) to get more baseline testing
information, improve communications systems at the pump stations, clear backups at manholes, and install emergency
generators at the pump stations.
Lake Barcroft resident Simone Katsas doesn’t think the
county is doing enough to correct the problem or prevent future spills.
county is doing enough to correct the problem or prevent future spills.
Based on extensive research and discussions with professional
engineers, Katsas discovered flaws in the design of the pump system and pipes, including the lack of
system air relieve valves, lack of flexibility in the pump connections, and the
lack of a check cut-off valve. She also argued the contractors are using
substandard materials in the pipes, resulting in corrosion and toxins getting into the lake.
engineers, Katsas discovered flaws in the design of the pump system and pipes, including the lack of
system air relieve valves, lack of flexibility in the pump connections, and the
lack of a check cut-off valve. She also argued the contractors are using
substandard materials in the pipes, resulting in corrosion and toxins getting into the lake.
Katsas’ 2-year-old daughter got sick after playing in the lake
on May 18, and she didn’t learn until later that there had been sewage spills on May 15 and 16. On May 19, her own testing of the water outside her house
showed E. coli levels in excess of the EPA limit for safe swimming. And she
said, the water is still not back to its normal color and odor.
on May 18, and she didn’t learn until later that there had been sewage spills on May 15 and 16. On May 19, her own testing of the water outside her house
showed E. coli levels in excess of the EPA limit for safe swimming. And she
said, the water is still not back to its normal color and odor.
“The release of raw sewage into the lake needs to stop
immediately,” Katsas said, “I have no confidence in the current contractor and
design team. They need to be replaced or the county should bring in a team
to properly supervise them.”
immediately,” Katsas said, “I have no confidence in the current contractor and
design team. They need to be replaced or the county should bring in a team
to properly supervise them.”
Tom Russell, director of the county’s Wastewater Collection
Division, noted that the Dewberry engineering company was brought in last month to
advise on the sewer-lining project, which is being carried out by Am-Liner East Inc. The
pipe connections are being reinforced, so it will be “one solid pipe,” he said.
“Dewberry wasn’t helpful. Bring in
someone else,” urged lakefront resident Kimberly Smith. “July 4 is the biggest day in Lake Barcroft, with lots of
swimming, boating, and fishing going on. Can you guarantee there won’t be
another spillage before July 4?”
someone else,” urged lakefront resident Kimberly Smith. “July 4 is the biggest day in Lake Barcroft, with lots of
swimming, boating, and fishing going on. Can you guarantee there won’t be
another spillage before July 4?”
“This should never have failed in the first place,” said another resident. “That’s why you pay for inspectors. It’s reprehensible that we’ve had
four incidents.” Russell assured the audience there will be people on site
24/7 monitoring the pumping station.
four incidents.” Russell assured the audience there will be people on site
24/7 monitoring the pumping station.
“The county
does not realize the magnitude of the problem and the stakes involved in terms
of health and property values,” said resident Nazir Baghat, who noted that the 1,000 houses in the community represent a $1 billion investment. Fairfax County needs to invest in better technological
solutions to address the problem but cannot be relied upon to do so, he said, so the Lake Barcroft association should hire its own consultants.
does not realize the magnitude of the problem and the stakes involved in terms
of health and property values,” said resident Nazir Baghat, who noted that the 1,000 houses in the community represent a $1 billion investment. Fairfax County needs to invest in better technological
solutions to address the problem but cannot be relied upon to do so, he said, so the Lake Barcroft association should hire its own consultants.
Dave Jones complained that “hundreds of thousands of gallons of sewage got into the
lack and no one is being held accountable.”
lack and no one is being held accountable.”
“The April 29 storm had been predicted for several days. Why
weren’t you prepared?” added Kay Cooper. “We lost the use of the lake for days.
If the contractors had been negligent, we don’t want them working in the county again. It
smells bad in a lot of ways.”
weren’t you prepared?” added Kay Cooper. “We lost the use of the lake for days.
If the contractors had been negligent, we don’t want them working in the county again. It
smells bad in a lot of ways.”
The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality “hasn’t
determined where the liability lies,” said Sarah Baker, DEQ regional
enforcement manager. The county can be fined if it’s determined that it did
something wrong, she said, although the county can’t be subject to civil
liability.
determined where the liability lies,” said Sarah Baker, DEQ regional
enforcement manager. The county can be fined if it’s determined that it did
something wrong, she said, although the county can’t be subject to civil
liability.
No one knows if anyone’s been harmed, said Neil Eisner.
People weren’t notified that it was unsafe to go in or near the water.
People weren’t notified that it was unsafe to go in or near the water.
Gross said DPWES agreed to call her office and WID when there’s
a problem, not rely on email, and WID is working on developing a better system
to notify residents.
a problem, not rely on email, and WID is working on developing a better system
to notify residents.
Because the county damaged private property, said Bill
Evans, it should carry out a watershed improvement project of comparable scale
to offset the damage.
Evans, it should carry out a watershed improvement project of comparable scale
to offset the damage.
County officials “do not have the right perspective on this,”
said resident George November. “We need to focus on prevention.”
said resident George November. “We need to focus on prevention.”
"Because the county damaged private property, said Bill Evans, it should carry out a watershed improvement project of comparable scale to offset the damage. '
Talk about a cynical ploy to get an unjustified handout. As the story suggests, the only real damage here was to the property owners' sensibilities. The situation will resolve itself in short order and Lake Barcroft will return to its previous condition which, incidentally, is best described as less-than-pristine. And, by the way, I visited Lake Barcroft after reading this article and didn't notice any odors coming from the water. So, let's keep it real folks.
The nerve of these folks to complain when they hideously and jealously make it so no one in the surrounding neighborhoods can so much as set foot on their beaches. Drain it and build more houses for all I care.
There is nothing hideous about this private lake. It was purchased fair and square by the original developers. The people who maintain the dam and lake are funded by a special levy on each LBA resident. If it was drained there would still be a creek that was impacted by the spill. If it wasn't for the lake and the WID – the entire incident might have gone unnoticed. I can only fathom what $hit goes into other lakes and creeks in Northern VA.
You reek of jealousy…
if you want to use the lake so bad, move there. We pay to maintain it via the Watershed Improvement District, and via many many community volunteers.
I very much agree w/ the 'reek of jealously' comment, above. Please try to remember, the main idea to help preserve all waters in our area and state, especially the streams and running waters that flow between state counties, streams and rivers. We must stay focused!