Following more than seven years of evaluation, analysis and computer simulations, the City of Newport News Waterworks Department was reissued a groundwater withdrawal permit by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. Deep, brackish groundwater serves as the water supply source for utility desalting facilities that are located at the Lee Hall Operations complex. Groundwater withdrawals have been managed by the Commonwealth and Department of Environmental Quality since passage of the Groundwater Management Act of 1992.

The permit allots up to seven million gallons per day for drought operations at the Waterworks’ Brackish Groundwater Desalting facility. The withdrawals from six wells are used primarily as a supplemental supply during emergency conditions. Groundwater also is used a t lower rates during non-emergency operations to ensure the readiness of the reverse osmosis membranes used in the desalting process.

The permitted groundwater withdrawals augment and diversify the City’s regional surface water supplies. During drought conditions, the wells are used to extend availability of the water stored within the multi-reservoir system.