Herbert H. Bateman Center at Chincoteague Island
Chincoteague Island, VA
Wastewater Infrastructure for Sensitive Sites
Herbert H. Bateman Educational and Administrative Center at the Chincoteague Refuge Visitor Center, is operated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and located on Chincoteague Island, VA. The buildings embrace green architecture and sustainable design, including: geothermal energy to heat and cool the buildings; low-flow and waterless restroom fixtures, coupled with a constructed wetlands system to recycle wastewater. A very popular tourist site, the US FWS expects approximately 400,000 visitors per year. Because of the highly sensitive environmental conditions of this barrier island, NSI was required to provide a treatment system that not only met advanced wastewater treatment standards but also fit nicely into the site.
The resulting design incorporates wetlands, a pond, a sand filter (which looks like a sand dune), and a water reuse system which feeds into the toilets and fire sprinkler network of the Visitor Center. Surplus water is used to support native vegetation in a small water course. Native vegetation in the wetlands includes saltmarsh bulrush, sofstem bulrush, broad leaved cattails, salt grass, yellow iris, saltmarsh mallow, arrow arum, smooth cordgrass, and salt meadow hay.
The final product is a beautiful facility that won the Department of the Interior’s 2003 Federal Energy and Water Management Award.
