Some history ...

1) Newport News Waterworks wanted to build an approximately 2000 acre reservoir on Cohoke Creek and fill it with water pumped from the Mattaponi River. Their application (if permitted) would have allowed for the withdrawal of up to 75 million gallons per day from the Mattaponi.

2) The Norfolk District of the Corps initially denied the permit on the basis of environmental impacts (over 500 acres of wetland to be flooded), cultural impacts to the Mattaponi Indians and the fact that independent studies demonstrated that Newport News didn't need half the water they say they needed. Their ROD (record of decision) was based upon numerous years of research and analysis, using many of their staff, and backed by over 300 pages of their own documentation.

3) Then Governor Gilmore was not happy with the decision and had it "elevated" to the Corps' North Atlantic Division out of New York. After nearly two years, the North Atlantic Division came out against the Norfolk District's recommendation, using no new data and backing their decision with a mere 15 page document.

4) One of the conditions of the North Atlantic Division's permit issuance, however, was getting all necessary State permits, including appropriate state permits from the Commonwealth of Virginia.

5) In 2007, the Virginia Water Protection permit issued to Newport News for the King William Reservoir was due to expire. Newport News sought and received up to a 5 year extension to continue under the old permit. One important stipulation of this extension, however, was that no construction on the reservoir could begin until after a full environmental review of the project by the Department of Environmental Quality and the successful reissuance of their permit by the State Water Control Board (SWCB).

6) Despite a strong warning by the former Chairman of the SWCB to do otherwise, Newport News proceeded "full steam" ahead to acquire the land for the reservoir through eminent domain takings. Per the original contract with King William, it was actually the County who was to purchase and own the land, with Newport News Waterworks leasing the land back for the operation of the reservoir over the next 50 years.

7) In November 2007, the King William County Board of Supervisors prudently voted not to continue land acquisition until such time as Newport News Waterworks had all necessary permits in hand (namely the 2012 SWCB permit renewal). After threat of lawsuit by the Waterworks, the County arranged a “back room” deal (out of view of their citizens and without their input) by which Newport News would finance the acquisition of the land for the County (interest free), with an agreement to buy the land back from the County should the project go belly up. It appeared as though the Waterworks’ strategy was to invest itself as much as possible in the project as it possibly could in order to make it nearly impossible for the SWCB to deny the reissuance of a permit in 2012.


8) On August 7, 2008, the Alliance to Save the Mattaponi and the Sierra Club released two reports that showed Newport News water sales have not only been flat over the past 17 years, but have actually decreased in recent years. One of the reports, written by Don Phillips (a retired NASA engineer), reassessed the original projections made by Newport News and its consultants, pointing out the numerous deficiencies in their analysis and projecting a significantly smaller water need in 2040. A PDF of Phillips’ report can be downloaded from the following link …

An Analysis of Probable Future Water Demand on the Virginia Lower Peninsula (8/3/08)


Most recent developments …