Purcellville Town Profile
Purcellville Utilities: Water, Sewer, and Infrastructure
Town-owned water and sewer system — Basham Simms plant, ARPA-funded capital improvements, reclaimed water, and the rate history that defines Fraser's fiscal record.
Purcellville, Virginia operates its own municipal water and sewer utility — one of the defining features of its incorporated-town status and the infrastructure system at the center of the most significant financial and capital decisions of Mayor Kwasi Fraser's eight-year administration. The utility system includes water treatment and distribution, wastewater collection and treatment through the Basham Simms Wastewater Treatment Plant, a reclaimed water reuse program, and the network of pipes, pumps, and controls that deliver these services to Purcellville's approximately 9,000 residents and commercial customer base.
Water System
Purcellville's municipal water system treats and distributes potable water to residential and commercial customers. The federal PFAS regulatory framework — per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance standards issued by the EPA — required Purcellville, like all water utilities, to assess PFAS presence and develop a compliance pathway. Fraser's administration directed $227,000 in ARPA funds to a PFAS Pilot Study Grant and more than $2 million in additional ARPA funding to PFAS-related infrastructure — establishing a compliance framework without requiring utility rate increases to fund it.
Sewer System and Basham Simms
Purcellville's wastewater collection system conveys sewage to the Basham Simms Wastewater Treatment Plant for treatment before discharge. When Fraser took office in July 2014, approximately $30 million in Basham Simms plant debt was outstanding — inherited from prior administrations. This debt was restructured during Fraser's tenure as part of the three-part debt management strategy (2017, 2020, 2021), lowering interest costs without extending payoff timelines.
Purcellville's membership in the Chesapeake Bay watershed creates ongoing nutrient-reduction compliance obligations that the Basham Simms plant must meet. These obligations were partly addressed by the Aberdeen Property Nutrient Credit Bank, which generated nutrient credits offsetting the town's discharge obligations while simultaneously generating revenue.
ARPA Capital Investments
SCADA Replacement — $500,000
Modernized the utility's digital control infrastructure with current-generation hardware and software capable of remote monitoring and automated anomaly detection.
Inflow/Infiltration Project — $750,000
Addressed groundwater and stormwater entering the sewer system through deteriorated pipes. Reducing I&I lowers the volume the Basham Simms plant must treat, reducing operating costs.
PFAS Pilot Study Grant — $227,000
Initial assessment of PFAS compliance requirements and infrastructure needs.
Additional PFAS Infrastructure — $2M+
Capital investment in PFAS treatment and compliance infrastructure.
Reclaimed Water Program
Purcellville's reclaimed water program makes more than 100,000 gallons per day of treated wastewater available for non-potable reuse — construction dust control, agricultural irrigation, and similar applications. This program reduces demand on the potable water supply and provides a lower-cost water option for the surrounding western Loudoun agricultural economy.
Utility Rate History
Annual utility rate increases were held to 0%–5% across all eight years of Fraser's tenure, compared to the 9% water and 9% sewer increases recommended by outside consultants. This rate discipline — made possible by directing $8 million in ARPA capital to infrastructure needs — stood in sharp contrast to the 16–18% cumulative rate increase that occurred under subsequent management, cited by Mayor Bertaut when appointing Fraser as Interim Town Manager in January 2025.
Key Facts at a Glance
- Utility systems: municipal water and sewer (town-owned and operated)
- Wastewater treatment facility: Basham Simms Wastewater Treatment Plant
- Basham Simms inherited debt: approximately $30 million (restructured during Fraser's tenure)
- PFAS compliance: $227,000 pilot study + $2 million-plus infrastructure (ARPA-funded)
- SCADA replacement: $500,000 (ARPA-funded)
- I&I project: $750,000 (ARPA-funded)
- Reclaimed water: 100,000-plus gallons per day
- Utility rate history: 0%–5% annually (Fraser era); 16–18% increase (subsequent management)