Northampton Supervisors approve bid for new water treatment at jail

The Northampton Board of Supervisors approved a $167,000 bid for construction of a new water treatment facility to serve the jail and courthouse.

According to County Maintenance Director Chris Thomas, there are three wells on the property, but only one was cleared for use by the Virginia Department of Health because the other two tested for high levels of contaminants.

The project was approved in 2021 at a price tag of $120,000, but it was decided to hold off on the construction at that time. Now the project is back in the works, but the price tag went up $47,000.

“If the one well we are using goes down, we have no water for the jail or courthouse,” Thomas said.

The new treatment plant will help remove the lead, manganese and iron from the water. Resources from the capital improvement fund will be utilized.

The Board unanimously approved the project.