Project Summary
Current Phase: Planning
Sponsor Project Manager: Alicia Grant, Transportation & Environmental Services
Managing Project Manager: Anup Gautam, Project Implementation
Project Description
As part of the City's commitment to reducing the likelihood of sewer backups in its sanitary and combined sewer service areas during periods of significant rainfall, the 400 block of Wolfe Street was identified as an area of the combined sewer system experiencing wet weather-related backups in recent years.
This project aims to improve the function and capacity of the existing sewer system along the 400 block of Wolfe Street by upsizing the sanitary sewers in the immediate area of sewer backups.
This project will include site investigation, sewer upsizing design, and construction in the immediate project area.
Project Funding
Total Project Budget: $1,665,900
Planning: $0
Design: $245,900
Construction: $1,420,000
Project Schedule
Planning: Fall 2023
Design: January 2024 - November 2024
Construction: Summer 2025
Planning Phase
Planning Overview
For years, T&ES has been tracking and monitoring sewer backups that occur throughout the City, and is systematically addressing areas subject to sewer backups that occur as a result of significant wet weather events.
The 400 block of Wolfe Street was identified as an area for future capacity improvement based on a combination of the City's tracking and monitoring, along with reaching out to City staff.
Planning for the 400 Block of Wolfe Street Sewer Upsizing Project was initiated and completed in the fall of 2023. Planning phase activities included CCTV sewer investigations, historic record document review, and public outreach with residents to confirm sewer backups were the result of capacity issues in the isolated section of the combined sewer system. It was determined further field survey and design would be necessary to provide a preliminary solution.
Planning Public Outreach
Public outreach in the planning phase occurred during the fourth quarter of 2023 and focused on direct communication with residents affected by sewer backups along the 400 block of Wolfe Street. Direct correspondence with residents resulted in a site visit and preliminary investigation of affected properties in the proposed project area.
City staff and engineering consultants spoke one-on-one with residents at their homes to discuss exactly when and how often backups occur and provided a general project timeline of design and potential construction in the future.
Design Phase
Design Overview
The 400 Block of Wolfe Street Sewer Upsizing Project is currently in the design phase, which consists of City staff and engineering consultants performing site investigations, including easement surveys, sewer dye-testing, geotechnical borings to determine soil conditions, test holes to locate other utilities, and site survey to obtain information for existing sewer structures in the project area.
Following site investigation activities, engineers will perform sewer capacity calculations to determine how the sewer system currently performs during wet weather events, and prepare sewer system design alternatives to increase the sewer capacity and reduce sewer backups along Wolfe Street.
Design Public Outreach
Public outreach in the design phase consists of notifying residents of ongoing site investigation activities with letters and public notices. City engineers are also accessible for direct communication by phone and email.
For more information, contact:
City Project Manager
Alicia Grant
alicia.grant@alexandriava.gov
703.746.4029