Breadcrumbs

RiverRenew

RiverRenew is the largest infrastructure project in Alexandria’s history. This major environmental initiative included the construction of a 130‑foot‑deep, 2.2‑mile‑long tunnel along the waterfront; installing a new six‑foot‑wide sewer pipeline; building two large diversion facilities; and creating a 12‑story underground pumping station at the center of AlexRenew’s treatment campus. Each year, RiverRenew prevents 120 million gallons of combined sewage from polluting Alexandria's waterways.

The oldest portions of Alexandria rely on a combined sewer system dating back to the 1800s. When they were built, these systems were considered innovative—using a single pipe to carry both sewage and stormwater away from city streets and into nearby waterways.

Before to RiverRenew, on dry days, those same pipes sent sewage to AlexRenew for treatment. But when it rained, even as little as a quarter inch, the system became overwhelmed. Combined sewage was forced to overflow into four outfall locations across the city, sending roughly 140 million gallons of untreated combined sewage into local waterways each year.

RiverRenew changed that. By capturing these overflows and conveying them to AlexRenew for treatment, the program helps protect our waterways and support a swimmable and fishable future.

This massive effort began taking shape in 2017, when a Virginia law required Alexandria to remediate its combined sewer system. Shortly afterward, AlexRenew assumed responsibility for the project—taking ownership of the City’s combined sewer outfalls in 2018 and launching the work that would become RiverRenew.

From the beginning, AlexRenew made community involvement a cornerstone of the program. We worked closely with the City, community partners, civic associations, and multiple stakeholder advisory groups throughout planning and construction. As crews reached major milestones — from welcoming Hazel, our tunnel boring machine, in 2022 to celebrating completion of the Waterfront Tunnel in 2024 — we invited residents and community stakeholders to join our staff in marking these achievements.

Hazel Day Celebration

We also invested in revitalizing the areas where we’ve worked. At African American Heritage Park, we planted 4,000 native trees and installed new wayfinding signage that highlights Alexandria’s rich African American history. Along Pendleton Street, we created a new waterfront promenade that provides an inviting public space for the community.

In 2026, crews finalized testing of the massive 20‑MGD tunnel dewatering pumps and the 45‑MGD wet‑weather pumps housed within the new 12‑story underground pumping station — and the system officially went live July1. To mark the occasion AlexRenew hosted a ribbon-cutting celebration outside the facility to mark the operational milestone and honor the crews, officials, partner organizations, and community members who helped bring the RiverRenew vision to life.