After many years of evaluation, Virginia Beach decided to build a pipeline to an existing system of hydroelectric and flood control impoundments on the Roanoke River, which straddles the North Carolina and Virginia border.
The project can transfer 60 million gallons of water per day from Lake Gaston to existing reservoirs in southeast Virginia. Chesapeake is a partner in the project and receives 10 million gallons per day to augment its supply.
The Lake Gaston Water Supply Pipeline pumps water to Virginia Beach residents through a 76-mile-long pipeline leading from Lake Gaston, in Brunswick County, to Lake Prince, a reservoir located in Suffolk but owned and operated by the City of Norfolk. The water from Lake Gaston is blended with water from Norfolk and then pumped to Norfolk's Moores Bridges Water Treatment Plant.
At the plant, the water undergoes an extensive filtering and disinfection process to remove particles, bacteria, algae, and other impurities. The plant provides state of the art treatment technology and ensures drinking water quality through continual monitoring and testing.