The City of Newport News continues to work to identify the sources that are causing elevated bacterial levels in the waters at Hilton Beach. Recently, the City retained the services of Brown and Caldwell to review the work that has been completed to date and to develop a comprehensive monitoring plan moving forward. As part of this plan, the City will be reaching out to the residents of Hilton Beach. A Hilton Beach Community Meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday, June 28, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Main Street Library. The meeting will include a formal presentation by Brown and Caldwell as well as from Hampton Roads Sanitation District (HRSD). Following the presentation, there will be several display stations that residents can visit to ask specific questions about topics such as: work the City has completed, has on-going, and has planned for the future; work being performed in the area by HRSD; additional bacterial monitoring being performed by HRSD; and information being provided by the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission.

Prior to the community meeting, a survey will be sent to residents requesting information regarding possible issues that could be impacting the bacteria levels at the beach. The City cannot develop a truly comprehensive plan without getting input from residents. Also, residents will be notified about an upcoming smoke testing of the Hilton area stormwater drainage system.

The City’s departments of Engineering and Public Works along with the Hampton Roads Sanitation District continue to work together looking at both stormwater and sanitary sewer systems in and adjacent to Hilton Beach to find and eliminate the cause of elevated bacteria at Hilton Beach. Infrastructure from Main Street north to James River Drive, between the CSS railroad tracks and the James River is being investigated.

For more information, please contact the Newport News 311 Center at 757-933-2311 or 311@nnva.gov.