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1. What are the water and sewer connection fees?

Connection fees are required for all new service locations. Water and sewer connection fees are based on water meter size and whether the City or a developer extended the water and/or sewer mains for a new service. Chesapeake City Code Section 78-86 lists the water and sewer connection fees.

2. Are water and sewer available to a property?

Chesapeake City water and/or sewer are considered available if the property borders a City right-of-way or alley where there are City water and/or sewer lines installed in the right-of-way or alley are adjacent to the property. The parcel to be served must be wholly within the Utility Franchise Area.

(See Utility Availability in Development, Land Use and Construction.)

3. Can a property connect to City water and sewer when the property does not have right-of-way frontage?

Contact Chesapeake Public Utilities at 757-382-6671 for information.

See Utility Availability - Right-of-Way in Development, Land Use and Construction.

4. Do I have to connect to City water and sewer if they are available to my property?

Yes. Chesapeake City Code Section 78-52 requires all properties that border a City right-of-way or alley where City water and/or sewer has been installed to pay the connection fees and connect to City water and/or sewer.

5. How can I get City water and sewer?

If Chesapeake City water and/or sewer is not available to a property, water and/or sewer must be extended to the property in order for City water and/or sewer to become available. This can occur in several ways.

1. The City may extend water and/or sewer by way of a City Capital Improvement Project or bond referendum.
2. The property owner may extend water and/or sewer at no cost to the City.
3. The City and the property owner may enter into a Cost Participation Program where both parties share in the cost of extending water and/or sewer.
4. A developer, other than the property owner, may extend water and/or sewer that becomes available to the property.

Contact Public Utilities Engineering at 757-382-6050 for further information.

6. Does the City have any plans to extend water and/or sewer to my neighborhood?

In most cases, developers extend City water and/or sewer for their projects. The City may extend water and/or sewer by way of a City Capital Improvement Project or Cost Participation Program for areas on the Unserved Areas List.

Refer to the current Capital Improvement Budget to determine if City water and/or sewer is planned to be extended to your neighborhood.

7. What is a backflow and a cross-connection? Why the concern about cross-connection and backflow prevention?

Backflow is the undesirable reversal of flow of non-drinkable water or other substance into the public water system or consumer's drinking water system. A cross-connection is any connection between a public water system or consumer's potable water system and non-potable water or other substance. An example is the public water system and a homeowner's landscape irrigation system.

Only through cross-connection controls and backflow prevention can we be assured that other substances are not contaminating our water system. Chesapeake Public Utilities has an inspection program to ensure these protections are in place in commercial buildings and businesses. Homeowners may purchase devices for their outside hose faucets from hardware stores.

For more information about backflow and cross-connection contact Public Utilities Engineering at 757-382-3414.

Resources

• Effective Cross Connection Control Programs (PDF)
• Virginia Office of Drinking Water Laws and Regulations

8. What is Virginia 811? What do the colored markings mean?

Virginia 811 is a statewide program to mark existing underground utilities of all kinds before excavation. This program helps reduce the incidence of accidental cutting of cables, water and sewer lines.

• Before you dig, call 800-552-7001, or call 811 in Virginia.
• Check the status of the marking requests by calling 800-552-3120.
• The colored line markings you see on the street or your property are identified at the Virginia 811 website.