Occoquan water tunnel project progresses: Prepare for blasting

Crews will be blasting near Occoquan between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Residents will hear horns blowing.

Mayor Earnie Porta says:

The construction of the tunnel under the Occoquan River will involve occasional underground blasting procedures starting this month and projected to end in September. Such blasting will consist of a single, one-second blast every other day, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. No blasting will take place on Sundays. When blasting is scheduled, there will be a temporary 30-minute closure of the pedestrian footbridge, River Mill Park, the Mill Street cul-de-sac, and the access road on the north side of the river. There will also be audible air horn signals 5 minutes and 1 minute before any blasts and an all-clear signal after. It is not expected that anyone will feel any vibrations from the blasting.

The Occoquan River Crossing project, as it’s called, is a joint effort between Fairfax Water, Prince William County Service Authority, and Virginia American Water to increase drinking water transmission capacity and enhance system reliability in eastern Prince William County.

This project will replace aging potable water transmission lines with two 42-inch mains inside a 400-foot-long tunnel to cross beneath the river. Construction should wrap up in late 2024.

Blasting will occur through September 2023.

The project is funded by the Prince William Service Authority and Virginia American Water.