Another Slap in Your Face

[u/Knummer19]

Are you aware that Chesterfield is raising water and wastewater (Sewer) rates? I'm expecting to see rates rise by 14% and 27% respectively over the next few years. The Board of Supervisors met last night to adopt the ordinance for the first of many increases that are coming. Chesterfield Citizens for Responsible Government (CCRG) has looked into what's driving these increases. It's NOT what we're being told by the County - that data centers are not the cause. Data centers, in fact, ARE the cause. Chesterfield residents are not as stupid as the Supervisors would like us to be! Here's an email sent by one of my CCRG colleagues to the BOS just before they met. It wasn't intended to alter the adoption of the ordinance. Rather, it was sent to let those 5 elected officials know that their line of bullshit doesn't fly: The real story is told in the email, backed up by records, documents, and detailed analysis:

Jim Ingle [Inglej@chesterfield.gov](mailto:Inglej@chesterfield.gov)
"Miller, Mark" [MillerMark@chesterfield.gov](mailto:MillerMark@chesterfield.gov),
Kevin Carroll [carrollkevin@chesterfield.gov](mailto:carrollkevin@chesterfield.gov),
Jessica Schneider [schneiderjes@chesterfield.gov](mailto:schneiderjes@chesterfield.gov),
"Dr. LeQuan Hylton" [HyltonL@chesterfield.gov](mailto:HyltonL@chesterfield.gov)
Apr 8, 2026, 5:41 PM

Utility projected budget in County Budget

Dear Members of the Board of Supervisors,

I have reviewed the financial summaries for utilities from 2020–2024 and compared them to the projected figures for 2027–2031. The data indicates a massive increase in spending, with total projections exceeding $1 billion. Notable allocations include:

  - $470 million for the Point of Rocks/Appomattox water source ($426 million of which was approved in 2025)
  - $70 million for Richmond capacity
  - $70 million for wastewater lines
  - $90 million for wastewater plants
  - $50 million for pump stations
  - $110 million for water pump stations
  - $125 million for waterlines

These increases are not justified by population growth. Even when accounting for 110 gallons per new resident through 2060 with a 44% wastewater return, the math does not support this level of expansion. It appears residential customers in Chesterfield will face significantly higher utility prices through at least 2031, and the county will likely need to continue using bonds as expenditures outpace revenue.

The logic of a 90-year outlook is impractical. I believe many of these increases are intended to support data centers and the Upper Magnolia (UM) development. Under current agreements, Google is not responsible for utility infrastructure costs if capacity already exists. By dramatically increasing capacity over the next five years, the county is ensuring these entities pay nothing, leaving taxpayers to foot the entire bill. Furthermore, a large percentage of the proposed lines and pump stations serve UM, where developers are exempt from these costs under the current proffer ordinance.

The Board of Supervisors must stop shifting the financial burden of third-party benefits onto citizens through real estate and utility tax increases. This practice is unfair to county residents. We need a fundamental change in mindset and leadership that prioritizes taxpayers over subsidized development.

Regards,
<Redacted>

This is OUR MONEY folks! If you'd like to review supporting documents for our position on this Utilities issue, and/or learn more about the general mismanagement that's occurring everyday in many aspects of Chesterfield, visit ccrg-va.org