The Utilities Department is a self-supporting enterprise fund, meaning the financial requirements of the department are met through user fees, connection fees, payments from outside entities, and other self-generated revenues, rather than local tax revenue. The department is also responsible for the oversight of the Refuse Management and County Capital Projects Divisions that are funded through fees and other local tax revenue. (Please see Public Works for more information about Refuse Management and County Capital Projects). In total, the department operates eight separate divisions to accommodate the water, sewer, capital construction, and solid waste needs of the County.
Administration
The Administration Division carries out all administrative tasks including oversight of all departmental activities, customer service, capital projects management, environmental management system implementation, a safety program, regulatory compliance, records and reporting, engineering, clerical, and file storage. This division is also responsible for meter reading, placing meters for new connections, meter maintenance, and account maintenance for more than 30,000 water and/or wastewater accounts.
Wastewater Treatment
The Wastewater Treatment Division includes the operation of the County's three wastewater treatment facilities, three wastewater facilities for the Spotsylvania County School Board, and composting operations.
Water Production & Quality
The Water Production and Quality Division includes the operation and maintenance of three dams and reservoirs, two river intakes, and two water treatment plants that provide water to Spotsylvania County and the City of Fredericksburg, and oversight of the Water Demand Management Program.
Engineering & Construction
The Engineering and Construction Division includes three main areas of operation: engineering, construction, and capital projects. The engineering staff reviews all plats and plans for projects, designs projects for system improvements in the distribution and collection systems, provides engineering solutions for treatment plant expansions and operations, and oversees the development and planning of the Water/Sewer Master Plan to support the County's Comprehensive Plan.
Operations & Maintenance
The Operations and Maintenance Division operates and maintains the County's water and sewage transmission system. The system consists of more than 1,200 miles of water and sewer mains, laterals, and appurtenances. The division maintains 47 sewage pump stations and identifies and corrects defects and other conditions that may allow extraneous water to enter the sewerage system. In addition, this division is responsible for the maintenance of two water treatment facilities and three wastewater treatment facilities as well as underground water and sewer line locations.
Laboratory Services
The Laboratory Services Division is charged with providing laboratory testing for the department's other divisions, as well as for the City of Fredericksburg and the Spotsylvania County School Board. The laboratory is certified by the Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services (DCLS) for drinking water analysis under federal and Virginia Safe Drinking Water Program (SDWP) regulations. The laboratory is certified for wastewater testing under the Virginia Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (VELAP). The laboratory operates 365 days per year, is staffed by five employees, and provides permit and regulatory compliance, as well as operations testing for water, wastewater, solid waste, and stormwater.
