Sanitary sewer overflow (SSO) reported — City of Hopewell - Hopewell Water Renewal, Jul 16, 2026

Record details

Original source data

{
  "releases": [
    {
      "title": "Recreational Water Advisory Issued for Bailey Bay, Hopewell",
      "link": "https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/news/public-relations-contacts/2026-regional-news-releases/recreational-water-advisory-issued-for-bailey-bay-hopewell/",
      "pubDate": "Thu, 16 Jul 2026 20:30:44 +0000",
      "published": "2026-07-16T16:30:44-04:00",
      "action": "issued",
      "categories": [
        "recreational advisory"
      ],
      "dateline": "Richmond",
      "lead": [
        "Recreational Water Advisory Issued for Bailey Bay, Hopewell",
        "Virginia Residents Advised to Avoid Contact with Contaminated Water",
        "RICHMOND, Va. – Out of an abundance of caution and due to the anticipated timelines for repairs, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH), in coordination with the City of Hopewell, is issuing a recreational water advisory for Virginia residents following a report of a force main break, which is a burst in a pressurized sewer pipe.",
        "For the safety of people and pets, VDH is advising Virginia residents to avoid recreational water activities in Bailey Bay, such as swimming, wading, tubing, white-water canoeing or kayaking, where full-body submersion is more likely to occur. Boating activities where full-body submersion is not likely to occur (motor boating, flatwater canoeing or kayaking, and fishing) may continue with proper caution to avoid exposure to contaminated water.",
        "The advisory is being issued out of an abundance of caution due to a sewage main break to a tributary of Bailey Bay that was discovered by Hopewell Water Renewal the morning of July 14. The release remains active to the ground surface at 1401 South First Avenue near Cattail Creek and is estimated at 400,000 to 500,000 gallons per day. Cattail Creek, a tributary of Bailey Creek and Bailey Bay, is a swampy waterbody with slow moving water.",
        "At this time, impacts to Bailey Creek and Bailey Bay have not been observed. The timeline for the repair is expected to occur over the next week. City crews and specialized contractors have been working continuously since the force main break discovery to excavate the damaged pipe, source repair materials, and evaluate repair options. VDH is issuing the advisory so the public may avoid the area until the repair is confirmed. The advisory area for Bailey Bay extends from City Point in the City of Hopewell to Jordan Point in Prince George County.",
        "At this time, VDH has observed no evidence of impacts to drinking water. Additionally, the force main break has not affected wastewater service for City of Hopewell utility customers.",
        "For updates on the repair status, visit the Department of Environmental Quality’s Sewer Main Failure webpage. The advisory will remain in effect until repairs are complete and VDH determines recreational use can resume."
      ],
      "advisory_area": "The advisory area for Bailey Bay extends from City Point in the City of Hopewell to Jordan Point in Prince George County.",
      "advice": "Virginia Residents Advised to Avoid Contact with Contaminated Water For the safety of people and pets, VDH is advising Virginia residents to avoid recreational water activities in Bailey Bay, such as swimming, wading, tubing, white-water canoeing or kayaking, where full-body submersion is more likely to occur. Boating activities where full-body submersion is not likely to occur (motor boating, flatwater canoeing or kayaking, and fishing) may continue with proper caution to avoid exposure to contaminated water.",
      "role": "issued"
    },
    {
      "title": "Recreational Water Advisory for Bailey Bay Lifted",
      "link": "https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/news/public-relations-contacts/2026-regional-news-releases/recreational-water-advisory-for-bailey-bay-lifted/",
      "pubDate": "Thu, 23 Jul 2026 15:15:51 +0000",
      "published": "2026-07-23T11:15:51-04:00",
      "action": "lifted",
      "categories": [
        "Bailey Bay",
        "recreational water advisory"
      ],
      "dateline": "Hopewell",
      "lead": [
        "Recreational Water Advisory for Bailey Bay Lifted",
        "Public Can Resume All Recreational Activities",
        "HOPEWELL, Va. – Effective immediately, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH), in coordination with the City of Hopewell, is lifting the recreational advisory for Bailey Bay in Hopewell.",
        "This advisory was issued out of an abundance of caution in response to a sewage main break to a tributary of Bailey Bay that was discovered by Hopewell Water Renewal the morning of July 14. The advisory area, which has now been lifted, extended from City Point in the City of Hopewell to Jordan Point in Prince George County.",
        "The overflow was stopped and repairs were successfully completed on Tuesday, July 22, following several days of continuous repair efforts by Hopewell Water Renewal personnel and specialized contractors. Estimated total release of sewage to the ground surface was 1.5 million gallons.",
        "VDH has observed no evidence of impacts to drinking water at this time. Additionally, wastewater service remained uninterrupted for City of Hopewell utility customers throughout the repair process.",
        "The City of Hopewell appreciates the patience and cooperation of residents, visitors, and partner agencies throughout the response and repair process.",
        "To stay safe while recreating in natural waters the public should:"
      ],
      "advisory_area": "The advisory area, which has now been lifted, extended from City Point in the City of Hopewell to Jordan Point in Prince George County.",
      "advice": "Avoid swimming if you are vomiting or have diarrhea. Avoid swimming in natural waterways for three days following rain events. Avoid any area of the waterbody where there is water with a foul or chemical odor, dead or dying fish, or discolored water.",
      "role": "lifted"
    },
    {
      "title": "Recreational Water Advisory for Bailey Bay Lifted",
      "link": "https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/news/public-relations-contacts/2026-regional-news-releases/recreational-water-advisory-for-bailey-bay-lifted-2/",
      "pubDate": "Thu, 23 Jul 2026 19:30:56 +0000",
      "published": "2026-07-23T15:30:56-04:00",
      "action": "lifted",
      "categories": [
        "Bailey Bay",
        "Jordan Point",
        "recreational water advisory"
      ],
      "dateline": "Hopewell",
      "lead": [
        "Recreational Water Advisory for Bailey Bay Lifted",
        "Public Can Resume All Recreational Activities",
        "HOPEWELL, Va. – Effective immediately, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH), in coordination with the City of Hopewell, is lifting the recreational advisory for Bailey Bay in Hopewell.",
        "This advisory was issued out of an abundance of caution in response to a sewage main break to a tributary of Bailey Bay that was discovered by Hopewell Water Renewal the morning of July 14. The advisory area, which has now been lifted, extended from City Point in the City of Hopewell to Jordan Point in Prince George County.",
        "The overflow was stopped, and repairs were successfully completed on Tuesday, July 22, following several days of continuous repair efforts by Hopewell Water Renewal personnel and specialized contractors. Estimated total release of sewage to the ground surface was 1.5 million gallons.",
        "VDH has observed no evidence of impacts to drinking water at this time. Additionally, wastewater service remained uninterrupted for City of Hopewell utility customers throughout the repair process.",
        "The City of Hopewell appreciates the patience and cooperation of residents, visitors, and partner agencies throughout the response and repair process.",
        "To stay safe while recreating in natural waters the public should:"
      ],
      "advisory_area": "The advisory area, which has now been lifted, extended from City Point in the City of Hopewell to Jordan Point in Prince George County.",
      "advice": "Never swallow untreated water and don’t swim if your skin has cuts or open wounds.",
      "role": "repeat_lift"
    }
  ],
  "kind": "recreational",
  "place_words": [
    "bailey",
    "bay",
    "hopewell"
  ],
  "event_type_basis": "the release names a sewage spill or sewer break",
  "valid_until": "2026-07-23T11:15:51-04:00",
  "notes": [
    "Recreational Water Advisory for Bailey Bay Lifted: The release says 'Tuesday, July 22', but July 22, 2026 is a Wednesday; the date is kept as published (not corrected).",
    "the lift names the place differently from the issue (paired by the words in common)"
  ],
  "water_placement": {
    "subject": "Bailey Bay, Hopewell",
    "town": "Richmond",
    "notes": null
  },
  "discharger_named": [
    "va-hopewell-water-renewal"
  ],
  "_time_basis": "RSS pubDate (UTC) shown in America/New_York; started_at = the issued release, ended_at = the lift"
}

Source: Virginia Department of Health via Virginia Department of Health recreational water and swimming advisories (newsroom search RSS), record recreational-water-advisory-issued-for-bailey-bay-hopewell, published Jul 16, 2026, 4:30 PM EDT, retrieved 2026-11-03 02:42 UTC · Read the original notice

Staff names, email addresses and phone numbers are removed from source data before it is stored.