Noman Cole Wastewater Treatment Plant
Summary
The Noman M. Cole Wastewater Treatment Plant is a regional wastewater facility owned and operated by Fairfax County. The City holds a 6.27% contracted capacity share in the plant. This capacity share has been cited as a key driver of the City's wastewater utility rate increases in consecutive fiscal years. On May 6, 2025, the City Council unanimously adopted Ordinance 2025-02, increasing wastewater rates by 6.0% for FY26, with staff citing the City's contracted share in the plant as a primary cost driver. On May 5, 2026, the Council again unanimously adopted Ordinance 2026-05, imposing another 6.0% rate increase, this time with staff additionally noting that the plant requires major capital upgrades due to federal regulations and aging infrastructure. Both rate increases passed 6-0.
Open questions & options on the table
- Whether additional annual rate increases tied to the Noman Cole plant's capital upgrade program are anticipated in future fiscal years.
- What the full scope, timeline, and cost of the federally driven capital upgrades to the plant are, and how they will affect the City's share of costs going forward.
Full history
[3b] The staff report cited the City's 6.27% contracted capacity in the Noman M. Cole Wastewater Treatment Plant (owned and operated by Fairfax County) as a key driver of the rate increase.
passedMotion to approve Ordinance 2025-02 increasing wastewater service rates by 6.0 percent.✓ Amos✓ Bates✓ Hall✓ Hardy-Chandler✓ McQuillen✓ Peterson[3b] The rate increase is partly driven by the City's 6.27% capacity share in the Noman M. Cole Wastewater Treatment Plant, which requires major capital upgrades due to federal regulations and aging infrastructure.
passedApprove Ordinance 2026-05 amending Chapter 102, Article II, Section 102-31(b) to increase wastewater utility rates by 6.0 percent.✓ Amos✓ Bates✓ Hall✓ Hardy-Chandler✓ McQuillen✓ Peterson