Alexandria, Va., tackles sewage overflow with massive tunnel project

A $615 million tunnel project in Alexandria, Virginia, is nearing completion, designed to address sewage overflows exacerbated by climate change.

Sarah Vogelsong reports for Inside Climate News.

In short:

• Alexandria's new 2.2-mile tunnel will help prevent sewage from overflowing into the Potomac River during storms.
• The project, driven by climate concerns, aims to reduce the current 37-70 annual overflows to less than three by 2026.
• Similar outdated sewer systems exist in 700 other U.S. municipalities, many of which are also working on expensive upgrades.

Key quote:

“This project is a contributor to cleaning up the river and making it swimmable and fishable for future generations of Alexandrians.”

— Matt Robertson, AlexRenew

Why this matters:

Increasing rainfall due to climate change is making sewage overflows more common, threatening water quality and public health. Addressing these issues requires significant investment and planning to adapt infrastructure to new environmental realities.