Meadowcreek Interceptor creating potential hazard

The Meadowcreek Interceptor, an underground project to funnel feces across the city, may have created a hazardous situation in one neighborhood. NBC29 has the story of an open, unprotected pit in a subdivision. Last April, Metra Industries of Little Falls, New Jersey signed a pair of contracts totaling $10.84 million with the Rivanna Water & Sewer Authority to lay the 32-inch sewer pipe. Construction began in October.

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8 comments

What gets me is the smell of sewage that wafts around in the air at times when they're working. Nothing like going outside on a cool night to get a breath of fresh air only to be met with the smell of sewer. Though I suppose the alternative - aging, worn out pipes that could fall apart creating massive sewage spills - puts things into perspective. Better to suffer through a little of the former than be faced with the latter. And I guess there's no pretty (and pleasant smelling) way to deal with sewer pipes. And I do admire the construction workers who are out there in sun or rain, warmth or cold, at the crack of 20-something degree dawn and into the evenings, trying to get this project done amidst loud machinary, exploding dynomite, and all that physical labor. That can't be easy.

Several residents of the Greenbrier neighborhood have told me that there has been far more clearing than they had been told and that was agreed to. Have others seen this as well ?

A better question: Why are we installing 100 year infrastructure that carries sewage the wrong way?
When I first heard about the upgrade of a north-south sewer line in McIntire park I assumed it was being resized to allow for more development north of town (North Pointe, etc.) and that it carried sewage south, to the treatment plant on the south side of town. The truth is, though the treatment plant is in fact on the south side of town, this pipe carries accumulated waste north, to where the treatment plant was thirty years ago. Only then does it and most of the waste generated in town flow south, along the Rivanna, in flood prone pipes.
Why not begin re-engineering the system to deliver waste directly to the treatment plant? I realize its difficult, but perhaps before we committed ourselves for another hundred years to the most circuitous sewage system possible, it might have made sense to look at alternatives?

Guess it doesn't really matter all those past days when your poop went down to Hogwaller to enhance the air for those residents? Want to learn an alternative? Unless you are are just lazy or decide it is okay to continue to pollute your drinking water or defecate in it. But never mind, when rolling blackouts may occur here because of national emergencies you may have to learn better... http://humanurehandbook.com/

I can lay pipe better than those guys!

It's time we get serious about modern day solutions to our water and sewer problems. We have the man and the machine right here in our community - Tom Worrell's clean machine

http://readthehook.com/83481/cover-tao-poo-can-worrells-green-sewage...

It's only going to get worse. RWSA must feel like they have some money to burn
http://cvilletomorrow.typepad.com/charlottesville_tomorrow_/2011/03/pump...

@NancyDrew "It's time we get serious about modern day solutions to our water and sewer problems." This will not happen while we have the current leadership in charge of RWSA. These are the people who ignored Oliver Kuttner and Bill Crutchfield, two people who have substantial accomplishments and obviously good problem-solving minds, and follow the advice of two dullards, Jeff (a former builder) and Ridge (a political hack).