HOPEWELL, Va. (WRIC) — After multiple leaks and overflows at Hopewell’s wastewater treatment plant, the city is suing three industrial manufacturers, alleging the companies failed to provide required funding for the Hopewell Water Renewal facility.
Hopewell’s wastewater treatment plant discharged roughly 164,000 gallons of sewage into waterways over eight incidents during the last six months of 2024.
Inspectors with the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) noted vegetation growth in many areas, solids floating on top of wastewater that was screened and a pipe leading into a tank for disinfecting wastewater that flows to an unknown location.
PHOTOS: Broken equipment, vegetation growth and more found during 2024 inspection of Hopewell’s wastewater treatment plant
The DEQ inspection report said the plant experienced 33 total sanitary sewer overflows and unauthorized discharges in 2024, including 22 discharges from pump stations.
An additional incident occurred in July 2025, during which the plant sent about a million gallons of untreated sewage into nearby waterways following a late-night electrical failure caused by a lightning strike. The spill was contained by July 14, 2025, but a recreational water advisory remained in place until July 18, 2025…