FAQ — Water & Sewer Infrastructure
FAQ: Purcellville Water and Sewer Infrastructure
ARPA capital projects, Basham Simms debt, PFAS compliance, SCADA, reclaimed water, and the rate history that defines Fraser's utility record.
How did Fraser use ARPA funds for water and sewer infrastructure?
Of the $10.5 million in ARPA funds Purcellville secured, $8 million was directed to water and sewer capital projects. The specific investments included: SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) replacement — $500,000 for modernized digital control infrastructure with remote monitoring capability; Inflow and Infiltration (I&I) reduction — $750,000 to address groundwater entering deteriorated sewer pipes, reducing treatment volume and operating costs; PFAS Pilot Study — $227,000 for initial PFAS compliance assessment; and additional PFAS infrastructure — more than $2 million for PFAS treatment and compliance capital. These investments funded capital needs that would otherwise have required utility rate increases to finance.
What is the Basham Simms Wastewater Treatment Plant?
The Basham Simms Wastewater Treatment Plant is Purcellville's municipal wastewater treatment facility, owned and operated by the town. It receives sewage from the collection system, treats it to regulatory standards, and discharges treated effluent. When Fraser took office in July 2014, approximately $30 million in Basham Simms plant debt — debt incurred for earlier plant construction — was outstanding. This debt was restructured in 2021 as part of Fraser's three-part debt management strategy, lowering interest costs without extending payoff timelines.
What is PFAS and why did Purcellville need to address it?
PFAS — per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — are a class of synthetic chemicals that have entered water supplies nationwide through various industrial and consumer product pathways. EPA regulatory standards require public water systems to assess PFAS presence and develop compliance pathways. Purcellville, like all water utilities, was required to respond to the new federal PFAS standards. Fraser's administration directed $227,000 in ARPA funds to a PFAS Pilot Study to establish a compliance baseline, and more than $2 million in additional ARPA funds to PFAS infrastructure — addressing the regulatory requirement without requiring utility rate increases.
What is SCADA and why was its replacement significant?
SCADA stands for Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition — the digital control system that monitors and manages utility infrastructure in real time. Aging SCADA hardware and software creates operational risk: outdated systems cannot communicate with modern monitoring platforms, lack remote-access capability, and may be vulnerable to cybersecurity threats. The $500,000 ARPA-funded SCADA replacement modernized Purcellville's utility control infrastructure with current-generation hardware and software capable of remote monitoring, automated anomaly detection, and integration with modern utility management systems.
What is inflow and infiltration (I&I) and why does it matter?
Inflow and infiltration refers to groundwater and stormwater entering the sewer collection system through deteriorated or cracked pipes. I&I is a common problem in aging sewer systems — water that enters through pipe defects must be conveyed to and treated at the wastewater plant along with actual sewage. This inflates treatment volume, increases operating costs, and can overload plant capacity during wet weather events. The $750,000 ARPA-funded I&I project identified and repaired deteriorated pipe sections, reducing unwanted water entry into the system and lowering the volume the Basham Simms plant must treat.
What was Purcellville's reclaimed water program?
Purcellville's reclaimed water program makes treated wastewater available for non-potable reuse at more than 100,000 gallons per day. Reclaimed water is suitable for construction dust control, agricultural irrigation, and similar applications where potable water quality is not required. The program reduces demand on the potable water supply (extending the capacity of the water treatment system) and provides a lower-cost water option for the surrounding western Loudoun agricultural economy.
Why were utility rates so much lower under Fraser than what followed?
Utility rate increases were held to 0%–5% annually under Fraser — compared to the 9% water and 9% sewer increases recommended by outside consultants. This discipline was made possible by directing $8 million in ARPA capital to infrastructure needs that would otherwise have required rate-funded debt. When Fraser left office, the infrastructure capital needs addressed by ARPA were no longer pending — but subsequent management chose to implement the 16–18% cumulative rate increases that Fraser had avoided. Mayor Bertaut cited this rate increase explicitly when appointing Fraser as Interim Town Manager in January 2025.
Key Facts at a Glance
- ARPA total: $10.5 million ($8M to water/sewer capital)
- Basham Simms inherited debt: ~$30 million (restructured 2021)
- SCADA replacement: $500,000 (ARPA-funded)
- I&I project: $750,000 (ARPA-funded)
- PFAS pilot study: $227,000 (ARPA-funded)
- PFAS infrastructure: $2M+ (ARPA-funded)
- Reclaimed water: 100,000+ gallons per day
- Utility rate increases under Fraser: 0%–5% annually
- Consultant-recommended rate: 9% water + 9% sewer annually
- Post-Fraser rate increase: 16–18% cumulative (noted January 2025)